Some physiological features of summer snowflake ( Leucojum aestivum L.) in the conditions of Russian subtropics

To estimate the prospects for using summer snowflake as an element of landscape compositions in subtropical region of Russia with long droughty periods which are recorded annually during spring—summer, the authors studied the water regime of plants and also the accumulation of dry substance, that characterized the assimilative capacity as well as the pigments synthesis. It was established, that the maximal water content in leaves tissue (up to 90 %) was observed in April, whereas the minimal one (85-86 %) was registered in II decade of May. In the II decade of March the maximal accumulation of dry substance (0.77 g) was observed. The authors detected the difference in accumulation of green pigments during growing of snowflake under moist (10.54 mg/l) and dry (11.95 mg/l) conditions. The correlation analysis revealed the presence of direct relation between water content in snowflake leaves and abiotic factors. The close correlation was observed between accumulation of dry substance and amount of rainfall ( r = 0.9-1.0), but only middle correlation of pigment content on the temperature factor.