The present study is an attempt to investigate whether triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), a chemical compound which measures dehydrogenase activity, could be used to study fine-root vitality from two different points of view: (i) in relation to ageing; (ii) as an indicator of environmental stress, in this case of excess nitrogen. The study was performed with excavated fine-roots from middle-aged Norway spruce and Scots pine stands. The ageing aspect was investigated by applying TTC to fine roots separated into different vitality classes, based on certain morphological characteristics. A significant difference in activity was demonstrated only in the case of roots that could be referred to as living and dead, respectively. The use of TTC on fine roots grown at different nitrogen supply levels indicates a possible increase in dehydrogenase activity with increasing nitrogen supply.
