In sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) grown under controlled conditions and subjected to drought by withholding watering, net photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs) of attached leaves decreased as leaf water potential (Ψw) declined from -0.3 to -2.9 MPa. Although gs decreased over the whole range of Ψw, nearly constant values in the intercellular CO2 concentrations (Ci) were observed as Ψw decreased to -1.8 MPa, but Ci increased as Ψw decreased further. Relative quantum yield, photochemical quenching, and the apparent quantum yield of photosynthesis decreased with water deficit, whereas non-photochemical quenching (qNP) increased progressively. A highly significant negative relationship between qNP and ATP content was observed. Water deficit did not alter the pyridine nucleotide concentration but decreased ATP content suggesting metabolic impairment. At a photon flux density of 550 µmol m-2 s-1, the allocation of electrons from photosystem (PS) 2 to O2 reduction was increased by 51 %, while the allocation to CO2 assimilation was diminished by 32 %, as Ψw declined from -0.3 to -2.9 MPa. A significant linear relationship between mean PN and the rate of total linear electron transport was observed in well watered plants, the correlation becoming curvilinear when water deficit increased. The maximum quantum yield of PS2 was not affected by water deficit, whereas qP declined only at very severe stress and the excess photon energy was dissipated by increasing qNP indicating that a greater proportion of the energy was thermally dissipated. This accounted for the apparent down-regulation of PS2 and supported the protective role of qNP against photoinhibition in sunflower. and W. Tezara, S. Driscoll, D. W. Lawlor.
Sunflowers were treated with mixing proportions of NaCl, Na2SO4, NaHCO3, and Na2CO3. Effects of salt and saltalkaline mixed stress on growth, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, and contents of inorganic ions and organic acids of sunflower were compared. The growth of sunflower decreased with increasing salinity. The contents of photosynthetic pigments did not decrease under salt stress, but their contents decreased sharply under
salt-alkaline mixed stress. Net photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance and intercellular CO2 concentration decreased obviously, with greater reductions under salt-alkaline mixed stress than under salt one. Fluorescence parameters showed no significant differences under salt stress. However, maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry, photochemical quenching coefficient, electron transport rate, and actual PSII efficiency significantly decreased but non-photochemical quenching increased substantially under salt-alkaline mixed stress. Under salt-alkaline mixed stress, sunflower leaves maintained a low Na+- and high K+ status; this may be an important feature of sunflower tolerance to salinity. Analysis of the mechanism of ion balance showed that K+ but not Na+ was the main inorganic cation in sunflower leaves. Our results indicated that the change in organic acid content was opposite to the change of Cl-, and the contribution of organic acid to total charge in sunflower leaves under both stresses decreased with increasing salinity. This may be a special adaptive response to stresses for sunflower. Sunflower under stress conditions mainly accumulated inorganic ions instead of synthesizing organic compounds to decrease cell water potential in order to save energy consumption. and J. Liu, D.-C. Shi.