SEASONAL-VARIATIONS IN CHLOROPHYLL CONTENT AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PHOTOSYNTHETIC RATE AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION IN TROPICAL DECIDUOUS TREE SPECIES

Leaf chlorophyll (Chi) content, net photosynthetic rate (P-N) and biom ass production were estimated at monthly intervals in Chukrasia tabula ris, Dolichandrone atrovirens, Eugenia jambolana, Gmelina arborea, Lan nea coromandelica, Terminalia arjuna and Terminalia bellerica from Sep tember 1990 to August 1991. The leaves of all the seven tree species s howed significantly higher CW. content during summer than in winter, w hen it was expressed on area and/or fresh mass basis. Chi concentratio n showed marked variations from month to month and these differed from one plant species to the other. Clear positive correlations were foun d between Chi content and P-N and/or biomass production in all the sev en deciduous forest tree species studied. The scope for screening and selecting the right type of tree species prospective for energy planta tions can be based on a, simple technique such as estimation of leaf C hi content and P-N.