INVESTIGATION ON PHOSPHOENOL PYRUVATE-CARBOXYLASE AND PROLINE IN DAMAGED AND UNDAMAGED NEEDLES OF PICEA-ABIES AND ABIES-ALBA

The extent of forest damage is rapidly characterized by visible criter ia such as loss and yellowing of leaves and needles. Additionally dama ge to Norway spruce (Picea abies) and silver fir (Abies alba) can be d iagnosed by biochemical criteria. The results in the present study per formed in 1993 and 1994 on six Norway Spruces of each of the eleven op en air stands in south-western Germany indicate that the activity of p hosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) correlates with the extent of d amage and of the loss of needles, respectively. Needles of severely da maged trees had higher levels of PEPC than needles of healthy trees. T here was also a positive correlation between the activity of PEPC and the level of proline in both years of investigation. Therefore, PEPC a ctivity and proline content can be suitable biochemical indicators of damage in spruce needles. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.