This work was carried out to evaluate the effects of the rustification on cold tolerance in
Eucalyptus dunnii
Maiden,
Eucalyptus benthamii
Maiden & Cambage,
Eucalyptus grandis
W. Hill ex Maiden, and
Eucalyptus saligna
Sm., by quantifying leaf contents of total soluble carbohydrates and proline. Seedlings (three months old and about 50 cm height) of these species were submitted to two periods of rustification (zero and 21
days exposure to day/night temperatures of 5 °C/1 °C), with photoperiod of 12 hours. After each period of
rustification, the seedlings were submitted, for 3 hours, to three temperatures below 0 °C (-2 °C, -5 °C, and
-8 °C). The seedlings were then assessed for leaf contents of total soluble carbohydrates and proline, lethal
temperature of 50 % (LT
50), and cold damage index. Proline was not detected in the leaves of all species.
However, in non-rustified seedlings, there were differences between the species regarding to the foliar
contents of carbohydrates, with the highest values in Eucalyptus benthamii, intermediary in
Eucalyptus
dunnii and
Eucalyptus grandis, and the lowest in
Eucalyptus saligna. The rustification treatment increased
leaf concentration of total soluble carbohydrates by 2.9, 2.5, 2.8, and 1.3 in
Eucalyptus dunnii,
Eucalyptus
benthamii,
Eucalyptus saligna and
Eucalyptus grandis, respectively. In the seedlings not submitted to the
rustification, the LT
50 value was lower in
Eucalyptus benthamii, intermediary in
Eucalyptus dunnii and
Eucalyptus grandis, and higher in Eucalyptus saligna. However, in rustified seedlings the LT
50 was no
different among the species. Rustification reduced the LT
50, except in
Eucalyptus benthamii. There was a
negative correlation between leaf concentration of total soluble carbohydrates and the LT
50, considering all
Eucalyptus species evaluated. The results show that leaf concentration of total soluble carbohydrates can be
used as an indicator of cold tolerance in species of
Eucalyptus.