PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Woolery, Phillip O AU - Schmal, Justin L AU - Davis, Anthony S TI - Evaluation of chlorophyll fluorescence as an indicator of dehydration stress in American chestnut seedlings AID - 10.2979/NPJ.2010.11.1.27 DP - 2010 Mar 20 TA - Native Plants Journal PG - 27--32 VI - 11 IP - 1 4099 - http://npj.uwpress.org/content/11/1/27.short 4100 - http://npj.uwpress.org/content/11/1/27.full SO - NATIVE PLANTS JOURNAL2010 Mar 20; 11 AB - American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh. [Fagaceae]) was an important species for timber and wildlife in the eastern US, but it was decimated by chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr [Valsaceae]). Recent advances in breeding for resistance to chestnut blight have increased interest in the silviculture and management of this species for deployment in afforestation programs. Three-mo-old American chestnut seedlings grown in containers were allocated to 4 treatments (0, 24, 48, or 72 h without irrigation) and subsequently evaluated for chlorophyll fluorescence, measured as maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm). Maximum quantum yield was constant until seedlings had irrigation withheld for 48 h, after which Fv/Fm plummeted and leaves became permanently wilted. Our results showed that dehydration affected chlorophyll fluorescence in American chestnut seedlings. Unfortunately, the abruptness at which Fv/Fm transitions from turgor to permanent wilting point suggests a lack of resolution and that chlorophyll fluorescence is not presently a viable method for assessing seedling dehydration stress.