Chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence temperature cinve (FTC) of primary leaves of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), cultivated imder a low irradiance, was studied at low actinic radiation excitation (436 nm, 2 W m'^) under a heating regime consisting of a linear increase of temperature (0.083 °C s’*), followed by a period of constant temperature. After prompt cooling of the sample to 77 K, Chl fluorescence spectra at defined points of the temperature regime were measured. Two distinct temperature and kinetic regions expressed by two discemible temperature maxima were observed for ťhis type of the FTC. Two triggering temperatures of successive irreversible changes are postulated at 45-48 “C and 53-55 °C temperature intervals, respectively; they may correlate with the heat inactivation of photosystem 2 and with changes of the chloroplast and cytoplasmic membrane integrity.
Senescence-induced changes in the xanthophyll cycle activity and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters were compared in detached barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaf segments kept for 6 d in darkness or under continuous " white light" (90 μmol m-2 s-1). Before detachment of the leaf segments, the plants were grown at periodic regime [12 h light (90 μmol m-2 s-1)/12 h dark]. The de-epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle pigments (DEPS) in the leaf samples was determined immediately (the actual DEPS), after 1 h of dark-adaptation (the residual DEPS), and during 14 min of a high-irradiance (HI) exposure (500 μmol m-2 s-1) (HI-induced DEPS). In the light-senescing segments, senescence was delayed pronouncedly compared to dark-senescing ones as the Chl content, the photosystem 2 photochemistry, and electron transport processes were highly maintained. Further, the actual DEPS increased, probably due to the increased mean photon dose. The HI-induced increase in the DEPS was stimulated in the light-senescing segments, whereas it was slowed down in the dark-senescing ones. However, after the 14 min HI-exposure of the dark-senescing segments the HI-induced DEPS was not markedly lower than in the mature leaves, which indicated the maintenance of the xanthophyll cycle operation. and M. Špundová, K. Strzałka, J. Nauš.