UDC 630.5 Original scientifc paper VARIABILITY OF PHYSIOLOGICAL AND GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS OF WHITE WILLOW (SAWX ALBA L.) CLONES

and Miroslav Markovic ' (2006): Variability ofyl~ysiological and growth characteristics of white willow (Salir alba l.) clones.- Genetika, Vol. 38, NO. 2, 145-152. The samples from field experiment on five clones of white willow (Sali,ralba L.) in the adult phase, was investigated as follows: net photosynthesis and dark respiration, content of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a,b and carotenoids), number and size of stomata and elements of growth (tree diameters and heights). The aim of the research is to determine if there are any relations between these physiological characters and the elements of growth, i.e. if any of them can be utilized in the early selection for growth vigor. The results show that all the characters are characterized by low coefficients of variation, statistically highly significant differences and high coefficients of heritability in a broad sense. As for the net of photosynthesis, the number of stomata on the adaxial and abaxial sides of the leaf are in high correlation with the elements of growth, which indicates that they can be used in the early selection for growth vigor