ASSESSMENT OF THE ADAPTIVE CAPACITY OF HYDRANGEA L. SPECIES UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF THE RIGHT-BANK FOREST-STEPPE OF UKRAINE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/naturaljournal.16.2026.23Keywords:
plasticity, stability, acclimatization, genotype, hydrangeasAbstract
Given ongoing climate change, the search for adapted, ecologically plastic species for use in urban landscaping is highly relevant and of practical importance. The aim of this study was to assess the adaptive capacity of species of the genus Hydrangea under the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Field studies were conducted from 2020 to 2024 at Uman National University and the National Dendrological Park “Sofiyivka” of the NAS of Ukraine. It was determined that H. arborescens, H. paniculata, and H. quercifolia are well acclimatized species, whereas H. macrophylla is moderately acclimatized, with acclimatization indices of 89 and 74, respectively. Overall, the plants exhibited high winter hardiness. Frost damage affecting up to 50% of the length of annual shoots was observed only in H. macrophylla during winter and early spring, while no damage was recorded in the other species. It was found that most of the studied hydrangea genotypes are characterized by high plasticity with respect to the “flowering–ripening period.” Under improved moisture supply and temperature conditions, the duration of this period increases. The following genotypes belong to this group: H. arborescens ‘Annabelle’, H. arborescens ‘Arborescens’, H. paniculata ‘Grandiflora’, H. paniculata ‘Diamant Rouge’, and H. quercifolia ‘Alice’ (plasticity coefficient bᵢ > 1). In contrast, H. macrophylla ‘Nikko Blue’ and H. macrophylla ‘Forever and Ever’ are less responsive to both improvements and deteriorations in growing conditions (bᵢ < 1). Based on plasticity and stability variance (Sᵢ²), the genotypes H. macrophylla ‘Nikko Blue’ and H. macrophylla ‘Forever and Ever’ belong to a group that shows greater changes in the “flowering–ripening period” trait under unfavorable conditions and is characterized by low stability. The second group includes H. arborescens ‘Annabelle’, H. arborescens ‘Arborescens’, H. paniculata ‘Grandiflora’, H. paniculata ‘Diamant Rouge’, and H. quercifolia ‘Alice’, which demonstrate better performance under favorable conditions (bᵢ > 1, Sᵢ² > 0). The stability level of all studied genotypes was high, ranging from 21.75 to 66.74. Thus, it was determined that all studied hydrangea species exhibit good to satisfactory adaptive capacity and are promising for cultivation in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine.
References
Вожегова Р., Тищенко А., Тищенко О., Пілярська О., Фундират К., Коновалова В. Формування стійкості рослин насіннєвої люцерни в умовах різного екологічного градієнта. Вісник аграрної науки. 2023. Вип. 101. № 3. С. 53–62. https://doi.org/10.31073/agrovisnyk202303-08.
Ермантраут Е. Р., Присяжнюк О. І., Шевченко І. Л. Статистичний аналіз агрономічних дослідних даних в пакеті STATISTICA 6. Методичні вказівки. Київ, 2007. 55 с.
Кохно М. А., Курдюк А.М. Теоретичні основи та досвід інтродукції деревних рослин в Україні. К.: Наукова думка, 1994. 184 с.
Малиновський А. К. Адаптації біосистеми: проблеми методології досліджень. Наукові записки державного природознавчого музею. 2012. Вип. 28. С. 25–40.
Марухняк А. Я., Дацько А. О., Лісова Ю. А., Марухняк Г. І. Пластичність і стабільність кількісних ознак продуктивності голозерних зразків вівса. Передгірне та гірське землеробство і тваринництво. 2017. Вип. 61. С. 80–90.
Рибальченко А. М. Пластичність та стабільність господарських ознак колекційних зразків сої. Зрошуване землеробство. 2021. № 76. С. 69–74. https://doi.org/10.32848/0135-2369.2021.76.13.
Шкіндер-Барміна А. М. Зимо- та морозостійкість сортів вишні (Cerasus vulgaris Mill.) в умовах півдня Степу України. Селекція і насінництво. 2010. Вип. 100. С. 255–263.
Яцик Р. М., Гайда Ю. І., Гудима В. М. Основи інтродукції та адаптації деревно-кущових видів рослин. Івано-Франківськ: НАІР, 2017. 175 с.
Аlvarez S., Rodrіguez P., Broetto F., Sаnchez-Blanco M.J. Long term responses and adaptive strategies of Pistacia lentiscus under moderate and severe deficit irrigation and salinity: Osmotic and elastic adjustment, growth, ion uptake and photosynthetic activity. Agric. Water Manag. 2018. Vol. 202. Р. 253–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2018.01.006.
Bauske E., Pennisi B., Braman K., Buck J. Native Plants, Drought Tolerance, and Pest Resistance. University of Georgia and Fort Valley State University. 2022. [Electronic resource] URL: https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/C-1122_6.pdf (access date 17.03.2026).
Detti C., Gori A., Azzini L., Nicese F. P., Alderotti F., Piccolo E. L., Stella C., Ferrini F., Brunetti C. Drought tolerance and recovery capacity of two ornamental shrubs: Combining physiological and biochemical analyses with online leaf water status monitoring for the application in urban settings. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 2024. Vol. 216. Р. 109208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109208.
Dixit S., Sivalingam P.N., Baskaran R.M., Senthil-Kumar M., Ghosh P.K. Plant responses to concurrent abiotic and biotic stress: Unravelling physiological and morphological mechanisms. Plant Physiol. 2024. Vol. 29. Р. 6–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40502-023-00766-0.
Fisher R. A. Statistical methods for research workers. New Delhi: Cosmo Publications, 2006. 354 p.
Ghalambor C. K., McKay J. K., Carroll S. P., Reznick D. N. Adaptive versus non‐adaptive phenotypic plasticity and the potential for contemporary adaptation in new environments. Functional ecology. 2007. Vol. 21. № 3. Р. 394–407. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2007.01283.x.
Janni M., Maestri E., Gulli M., Marmiroli M., Marmiroli N. Plant responses to climate change, how global warming may impact on food security: a critical review. Frontiers in plant science. 2024. Vol. 14. Р. 1297569. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1297569.
Khelalfa H., Khelalfa K. Stability Criteria in Plant Structures. Revista Romana de Inginerie Civila. 2024. Vol. 15. № 4. С. 1–12. https://doi.org/10.37789/rjce.2024.15.4.13.
Kumar L., Chhogyel N., Gopalakrishnan T., Hasan M. K., Jayasinghe S. L., Kariyawasam C. S. «Chapter 4 - Climate change and future of agri-food production» Future foods. 2022. Р. 49–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91001-9.00009-8.
Lahlali R., Laasli S. E., Ait Barka E. Plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses: From cellular to morphological changes Series II. Agronomy. 2025. Vol. 15. № 1. Р. 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15010229.
Macel M., Lawson C. S., Mortimer S. R., Smilauerova M., Bischoff A., Cremieux L., Steinger T. Climate vs. soil factors in local adaptation of two common plant species. Ecology. 2007. Vol. 88. №2. С. 424–433. https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2007)88[424:CVSFIL]2.0.CO;2.
Martіnez-Lorente S.E., Martі-Guillеn J.M., Pedreno M.A., Almagro L., Sabater-Jara A.B. Higher Plant-Derived Biostimulants: Mechanisms of Action and Their Role in Mitigating Plant Abiotic Stress. Antioxidants. 2024. Vol. 13. Р. 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13030318.
Mata R., Zas R., Bustingorri G., Sampedro L., Rust M., Hernandez‐Serrano A., Sala A. Drivers of population differentiation in phenotypic plasticity in a temperate conifer: A 27‐year study. Evolutionary Applications. 2022. Vol. 15. № 11. Р. 1945–1962. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13492.
Reed S. M. Flowering performance of 21 Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars. Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 2002. Vol. 20. № 3. Р. 155–160. https://doi.org/10.24266/0738-2898-20.3.155.
Sherwood A., Alexander L. W., Clark M. D., Wu X., Hokanson S. C. Precipitation, temperature, and population structure influence genetic diversity of oakleaf hydrangea throughout its native range. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 2023. Vol. 148. № 1. Р. 29–41. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS05255-22.
Torrecillas A.. Rodriguez P., Sаnchez-Blanco M.J. Comparison of growth, leaf water relations and gas exchange of Cistus albidus and C. monspeliensis plants irrigated with water of different NaCl salinity levels. Sci. Hortic. 2003. Vol. 97. Р. 353–368. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4238(02)00161-9.
Toscano S., Ferrante A., Romano D. Response of Mediterranean ornamental plants to drought stress. Horticulturae. 2019. Vol. 5. № 1. Р. 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae5010006.
Van Heerwaarden B., Sgrо C., Kellermann V. M. Threshold shifts and developmental temperature impact trade-offs between tolerance and plasticity. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 2024. Vol. 291. № 2016. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.2700.
Zhou Y., Xu F., Shao Y., He J. Regulatory mechanisms of heat stress response and thermo morphogenesis in plants. Plants. 2022. Vol. 11. Р. 3410. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11243410.
