The effect of Puccinia komarovii Tranzsch. infection on characters of Impatiens parviflora DC. in Galio sylvatici-Carpinetum (R. Tx. 1937) Oberd. 1957 forest association

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine how internal diversity of oak-hornbeam forest modifies the course and effects of infestation of small-flowered balsam (Impatiens parviflora) with rust Puccinia komarovii. The study investigated the effect of the disease on the demography of the population, and the habit and biomass allocation of the infested specimens, as well as the initiation of non-specific defense mechanisms. It was shown that: 1) the percentage of infected specimens was independent of the undergrowth-coverage rate and of the I. parviflora density; 2) infected populations differ from healthy ones in the seasonal dynamics of abundance changes; 3) high mortality is observed as early as May and the first part of June, i.e. it pertains to specimens, which did not begin reproduction; 4) the presence of infection and its intensity stimulate the growth of the stem and the hypocotyl; 5) fresh weight of infected specimens is by almost 30% lower in comparison to the weight of uninfected plants; the weight of badly infected plants decreases by 20% in comparison to the less severely infected balsam plants; the weight of generative organs drops most significantly, even by over 50%; 6) biomass allocation does not fluctuate considerably; 7) reproduction effort expressed by the ratio of the weight of fruits (or only seeds) to the total biomass shows a distinct downward trend; 8) the environmental factor does not affect the force of defense mechanisms, the strength of biochemical response of diseased plants depends on the degree of their infestation.