Physiological Responses to Drought Stress of Seven Evergreen Hardwood Species

This research aims to analyze and compare the drought resistance of 7 species of landscape trees commonly grown in Korea. The 7 species are: Camellia japonica, Rhaphiolepis indica, Quercus glauca, Machilus thunbergii, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Dendropanax morbifera and Cinnamomum camphora. In order to analyze their drought resistance, the samples were left without irrigation for 30 days (05/09/2016 ~ 05/10/2016), during which period their respective drought resistor, relative water content, electrolyte elution figures and proline content were measured. As the non-irrigation proceeded, C. camphora was the first to wither, followed by D. morbifera, then D. macropodum, then M. thunbergii, then Q. glauca, then R. indica then finally C. japonica. Of the 7 species, Q. glauca, C. japonica and R. indica can be considered highly drought resistant, since they survived for longer than 3 weeks without irrigation. Relative water content (RWC) plummeted dramatically after the first 15 days of non-irrigation. Whereas RWC readings of C. camphora, D. morbifera, D. macropodum and M. tunbergii dropped by 40% or more, the other 4 species reported a relatively low rate of decrease at 20% or lower. The Camellia japonica, the R. indica and Q. glauca, which were the species with relatively high drought resistance, showed low proline content and electrolyte elution figures, whereas those of C. camphora, D. macropodum, D. morbifera and M. tunbergii were higher. Analysis through the nonlinear regression analysis logistic model showed that non-irrigation proved fatal for the 7 sample species in a range of 22.7 to 37.6 days. The C. japonica, R. indica, Q. glauca and M. tunbergii demonstrated a high drought resistance of 30 days or longer, whereas C. camphora, D. morbifera and D. macropodum had a low resistance of 25 days or less to drought from lack of water. In conclusion, out of the 7 species of broad-leaved evergreen trees tested, C. japonica, R. indica and Q. glauca seem to be suitable for use as landscape trees, owing to their high drought resistance.