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Non‐linear reduction of photosynthetic ability in oak trees infected with Tubakia koreana causing Quercus leaf blight
Author(s) -
Park Minjee,
Yun Hye Young,
Kim Young Ho,
Kim Kunhyo,
Kim Hyun Seok
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
forest pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.535
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1439-0329
pISSN - 1437-4781
DOI - 10.1111/efp.12665
Subject(s) - biology , botany , blight , photosynthesis , fagaceae , photosynthetic capacity , horticulture
Tubakia species are fungi causing leaf spots and blights and are reported worldwide, mainly in Asia, Europe and North America. These diseases often occur on Quercus (oak) trees, which constitute one of the dominant broad‐leaved tree genera in the world, so forest structure, function and dynamics could be affected by Tubakia infection. However, few data about the negative impacts of Tubakia on key leaf functional traits are available. This study was conducted to investigate the changes in photosynthetic capacity, morphological, and chemical traits of sawtooth oak ( Quercus acutissima Carruth.) leaves infected with Tubakia koreana causing Quercus leaf blight. Two control and four treatment seedlings were used for this study. It was found that maximum photosynthetic rate and maximum rates of carboxylation and electron transport showed exponential reductions with increasing disease severity ( p < .001). However, leaf mass per area (LMA) showed no noticeable changes, while leaf nitrogen concentration ( N mass ) increased linearly with increasing disease severity ( p < .001), suggesting that Tubakia disease may underlay the inconsistent patterns of LMA and N mass . These findings contribute to the understanding of fundamental effects of disease development on physiological traits of oak leaves.