Differences in growth and physiological traits of Populus cathayana populations as affected by enhanced UV-B radiation and exogenous ABA

During one growing season, the effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation, exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and their combination on biomass accumulation, gas exchange, endogenous ABA, the concentration of UV-absorbing compounds, antioxidant system and on the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content and C/N ratio were investigated in two contrasting Populus cathayana Rehd. populations, originating from high and low altitudes in south-west China. Exogenous ABA was sprayed to the leaves, and enhanced UV-B treatments were applied using a square-wave system to expose the seedlings to ambient (1×) or twice ambient (2×) doses of biologically effective UV-B radiation (UV-BBE). Enhanced UV-B radiation significantly decreased height, basal diameter, total leaf area, total biomass, net CO2 assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E) and carbon (C) content in leaves, and significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPx), and the contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malonaldehyde (MDA), as well as the accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds and endogenous ABA concentrations among different organs in both populations. In contrast, exogenous ABA induced a significant decrease in A and significant increases in the activities of SOD and GPx, in the content of H2O2 and MDA, and in the endogenous ABA concentrations. Compared with the low altitude population, the high altitude population was more tolerant to enhanced UV-B and exogenous ABA. Significant interactions between UV-B and ABA were observed in A, E, and in the activities of SOD and GPx, as well as in endogenous ABA in the leaves and roots of both populations. Across all treatments, the C and N contents of leaves were strongly correlated with their contents in stems and roots. Additionally, the N content of leaves and stems were significantly correlated with the C content of stems.