Comparison of Adjustments to Drought Stress Among Seedlings of Several Oak Species

In order to compare the adjustment of 6 oak species to water stress, the components of water status, tissue elastic modulus, free proline content of leaves and morphological characteristics were determined in pot culture. uercus dentata and . mongolica responded effectively to drought with high root : shoot (R/S) ratio or maintenance of high turgor pressure by large and fast osmotic adjustment and . variabilis with maintenance of high turgor pressure by low elastic modulus under drought. Meanwhile, . aliena and . serrata responded effectively with low omotic potential (Ψo) at full saturation and . acutissima with long root in spite of rigid cell wall and high osmotic potential (Ψo) at full saturation. Proline content in leaves of . dentata, . mongolica and . aliena increased early and rapidly at high leaf water potential (Ψleaf). The results indicate that 6 oak species have adjustment different from each other to water stress.