Effect of provenance on free amino acid and chemical composition of Scots pine needles

Free amino acid (16 amino acids) and chemical composition (N, P, K, Mg, Ca, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles were compar ed between six provenances in three different experimental areas. The main free amino acids in the needles were in the sequence of quantity; glutamic acid, glutamine, arginine and gamma-aminobutyric acid. There were no signif icant differences in the concentrations of phenylalanine, gamma-aminobutyri c acid, methionine, proline and threonine in pine needles between the sites or between the provenances. Significant differences in the foliar concentr ations of alanine and leucine were found between the sites and in the folia r concentrations of isoleucine, glutamine, glycine and tyrosine between the provenances. The concentrations of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine and lysine were significantly affected by the sites and the provenances. Th e foliar nutrients, except copper, had statistically significant difference s, both between the sites and between the provenances. Calcium did not diff er between the provenances.