Assessment of cupressus sempervirensis L. hardiness through carbohydrates and pigments content in the leaves

The study was carried out in 2011-2014 at Botanical garden of Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovak Republic. Cupressus sempervirens L. was planted in two types of planting, plants planted direct in the soil and stayed outside during winter time and plants planted in pots and protected during winter time, when plants were removed in to greenhouse from end of November until end of March. The sample of young, one year leaves had been taken in end of January when temperature over night was (-7 degrees C) and at 9 am was (-3 degrees C). The results showed that there are significant differences between plants planted outside and plants protected during winter time in all of studied characteristics. Plants planted in ground had the highest chlorophyll a and total sugar content in comparison with plants in pots which were in greenhouse when temperature has recorded on (8 degrees C) in average. There is an inverse relationship between chlorophyll a and total sugar and starch. The study found also an inverse relationship between total sugar and starch content in the leaves. Also an inverse relationship between chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b was found; increase of chlorophyll a leads to decrease of chlorophyll b content.