Accumulation of cobalt and nickel in soil, litter, and organs of Scots pine in the conditions of the Yelets industrial center

Information was obtained on the content of cobalt and nickel in soil, litter, and organs of Scots pine in the conditions of the Yelets industrial center. It was found that, under pollution conditions, the content of cobalt and nickel in vegetative organs, soil, litter is higher than the control values. Moreover, their content increases both during the growing season and with an increase in the age of the pine (needles and shoots). There is an uneven accumulation of metal in various organs of Scots pine. A high level of correlation was noted: between the content of cobalt in the soil and needles of the 1st year, shoots of the 1st year - PP No. 1 (r = 0.86; r = 0.78); between the content of cobalt in the soil and bark, litter - PP No. 2 (r = 0.99; r = 0.96); between the nickel content in the soil and needles of the 1st year, needles of the 2nd year, shoots of the 1st year - PP # 1 (r = 0.84; r = 0.78; r = 0.80); between the nickel content in soil and needles of the 1st year, shoots of the 1st year, bark, litter - PP No. 2 (r = 0.92; r = 0.89; r = 0.78; r = 0.87). Keywords: COBALT, NICKEL, SCOTS PINE, NEEDLES, SHOOTS, SOIL LITTER

Influence of anthropogenic pollution on morphological-anatomical parameters and spectral characteristics of Scots pine needles

The research paper demonstrates a comprehensive comparative analysis of the state of coniferous plantations in Minsk in areas with a favourable and predominantly unfavourable ecological situation and control trees growing in relatively clean territories. The morphological-anatomical and bilateral (in terms of fluctuating asymmetry) patterns of needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) change were revealed, reflecting the severity of anthropogenic press on the urban environment. The possibility of using the FTIR spectroscopy method combined with chemometric analysis algorithms for the differentiation of needles is shown. Using the method of principal components, the test samples were divided into clusters reflecting the extent of their anthropogenic load.

DETERMINATION OF L-ARGININE CONTENT IN SCOTS PINE NEEDLES USING THE SAKAGUCHI TEST

Arginine can be accumulated in substantial amounts in coniferous plants whose mineral nutrition is regulated. A simple, quick, accurate and inexpensive method for determining the amino acid in coniferous plant organs is needed to improve the technique of raising the arginine level in the plants and making arginine-rich products of their needles. The aim of this study was to modificate a spectrophotometric method for determining arginine in Pinus sylvestris L. needles containing low or abnormally high levels of the amino acid using the Sakaguchi test. Our studies revealed the agents providing for maximum extraction of arginine from needles. Techniques for stripping the extract of organic compounds and chromogenic reagents for the Sakaguchi test were tested, and the wavelengths of maximum optical absorption of solvents in needle arginine content spectrophotometric analysis were determined. This method is simple, reproducible, accurate, and can be employed to quickly analyze pine needles for arginine content, in particular when developing techniques for augmenting it in coniferous plants and making arginine-rich products of coniferous needles.