Photosynthetic and transpiration (E) rates, stomatal conductance, and leaf nitrogen content were surveyed for Myrica gale var. tomentosa, a N2-fixing wetland shrub, Betula platyphylla var. japonica, and Rhododendron japonicum in Ozegahara moor, an oligotrophic moor in Central Japan. Net photosynthetic rate saturated with irradiance (Pmax) of M. gale was 15.2-16.5 μmol(CO2) m-2 s-1, higher than those of the other species throughout the growing season. Pmax was positively correlated with leaf N content among the three species. The large leaf N content in M. gale was due to N2-fixation in root nodules. In a comparison of M. gale in two habitats, Pmax, leaf N content, and root nodule development were larger in the wetter habitat. M. gale showed high E and no midday depression of Pmax even under high irradiance and large vapour pressure deficit between leaves and ambient air on a midsummer day. These traits of photosynthesis and water relations were associated with the dominance of this shrub in wetter sites such as stream sides and hollows. and K, Maeda ... [et al.].
Discriminant analysis is an important method in multivariable statistic analysis to show what type an individual should belong to. Based on actual field photosynthetic value set obtained from our research platform, North East China Transect (NECT), a new approach, developed from the concept and principle of discriminant analysts, was proposed to distinguish C3 and C4 plants. Indices related to plant photosynthetic capacity measured by an LCA4 photosynthesis system were selected to build the discriminant model which is based on four related parameters: net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and difference in temperature between leaf surface and atmosphere. Compared with other approaches, the present one is fast, straightforward, and efficient. and H. P. Tang, X. S. Zhang.
The pattern of activity of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) was similar to photosynthetic and growth traits observed at 30, 45, and 60 d after sowing in mustard (Brassica juncea L.) cultivars Varuna and RH 30 differing in photosynthetic capacity. Higher activity of ACS and therefore ethylene release in Varuna than RH 30 increased stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, carboxylation rate (carbonic anhydrase and intrinsic water use efficiency), and thus net photosynthetic rate (PN) and leaf and plant dry masses (DM) at all sampling times. Moreover, Varuna also had larger leaf area which contributed to higher PN and DM. A positive correlation between ACS activity and PN and leaf area was found in both the cultivars. Thus ACS activity may affect PN through ethylene-induced changes on foliar gas exchange and leaf growth.
In comparison with its wild type (WT), the transgenic (TG) rice with silenced OsBP-73 gene had significantly lower plant height, grain number per panicle, and leaf net photosynthetic rate (PN). Also, the TG rice showed significantly lower chlorophyll (Chl), ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO), RuBPCO activase, and RuBP contents, photosystem 2 (PS2) photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm and ΔF/Fm'), apparent quantum yield of carbon assimilation (Φc), carboxylation efficiency (CE), photosynthetic electron transport and photophosphorylation rates as well as sucrose phosphate synthase activity, but higher intercellular CO2 concentration, sucrose, fructose, and glycerate 3-phosphate contents, and non-photochemical quenching of Chl fluorescence (NPQ). Thus the decreased PN in the TG rice leaves is related to both RuBP carboxylation and RuBP regeneration limitations, and the latter is a predominant limitation to photosynthesis. and Y. Chen, D.-Q. Xu.
Photosynthetic traits of two-year-old Japanese larch seedlings (Larix kaempferi Carr.) grown at elevated CO2 concentrations were studied in relation to structural changes in the needles. Seedlings were grown at two CO2 concentrations, 360 (AC) and 720 (EC) μmol mol-1 at high and low nutrient supply rates, high N (HN) and low N (LN). The photosynthetic capacity fell significantly in EC+LN, but increased significantly in EC+HN. Since the mesophyll surface area exposed to intercellular space per unit leaf area (Ames/A) is correlated with the photosynthetic rate, we measured Ames/A for larch needles growing in EC. Changes of Ames/A in both EC+HN and EC+LN were very similar to the changes in photosynthetic capacity. This suggests that the changes of Ames/A in EC probably caused the changes in the photosynthetic capacity. The changes of Ames/A in EC were attributed to changes in the mesophyll cell size and mesophyll cell number. The photosynthetic capacity in EC can be explained by taking morphological and structural adaptations into account as well as biochemical factors. and N. Eguchi ... [et al.].
We investigated the relative importance of pre-anthesis assimilates stored in plant parts, mainly in the stem, and post-anthesis photosynthesis to drought resistance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars Hongwangmai (drought resistant) and Haruhikari (drought sensitive) subjected to two soil moisture regimes: irrigated and non-irrigated. In the irrigated treatment, soil moisture was maintained near field capacity throughout the growing season, while in the non-irrigated treatment water was withheld from 81 d after sowing until maturity. Drought stress reduced grain yield of Hongwangmai and Haruhikari by 41 and 60 %, respectively. Remobilization of pre-anthesis assimilates to the grain (remobilization) was reduced by drought in Hongwangmai but increased in Haruhikari. The contribution of pre-anthesis assimilates to the grain decreased under non-irrigated treatment in Hongwangmai. However, under water stress, Hongwangmai maintained a higher net photosynthetic rate in the flag leaf than Haruhikari. These results indicated that maintenance of post-anthesis photosynthetic rate was related to drought resistance in Hongwangmai rather than to remobilization under drought stress. and T. Inoue ... [et al.].
At the grain-filling stage, net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylation efficiency (CE) were correlated in order to find the determinant of photosynthetic capacity in rice leaves. For a flag leaf, PN in leaf middle region was higher than in its upper region, and leaf basal region had the lowest PN value. The differences in gs and CE were similar. PN, gs, and CE gradually declined from upper to basal leaves, showing a leaf position gradient. The correlation coefficient between PN and CE was much higher than that between PN and gs in both cases, and PN was negatively correlated with intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci). Hence the carboxylation activity or activated amount of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase rather than gs was the determinant of the photosynthetic capacity in rice leaves. In addition, in flag leaves of different tillers PN was positively correlated with gs, but negatively correlated with Ci. Thus gs is not the determinant of the photosynthetic capacity in rice leaves. and D.-Y. Zhang ... [et al.].
Diurnal variation of gas exchange, chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence, and xanthophyll cycle components of three maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids released in different years, i.e. Baimaya (1950s), Zhongdan2 (1970s), and Nongda108 (1990s), were compared. On cloudless days, the newer hybrids always had higher net photosynthetic rate (PN), especially at noon, than the older ones. At noon, all the hybrids decreased their maximal yield of photosystem 2 (PS2) photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and actual quantum yield of PS2 (ΦPS2), the newer ones always showing higher values. Generally, the newer hybrids displayed higher photochemical quenching of Chl (qP) and lower non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). The interhybrid differences in PN may be owing to their differential photochemical efficiency. A midday depression in P N occurred in all hybrids, which might be caused by serious photoinhibition or by decreased stomatal conductance. However, midday depression in PN was more obvious in the older hybrids, especially when leaves were senescent. The higher de-epoxidation state of the xanthophylls was noted in older hybrids, which was confirmed by their larger NPQ. The newer maize hybrids did not need a strong de-epoxidation state since they had a better photosynthetic quantum conversion rate and a lower NPQ. and L. Ding ... [et al.].
We investigated net photosynthetic rate (PN) of ear and two uppermost (flag and penultimate) leaves of wheat cultivars Hongmangmai (drought resistant) and Haruhikari (drought sensitive) during post-anthesis under irrigated and non-irrigated field conditions. The PN of ear and flag leaf were significantly higher and less affected by drought in Hongmangmai than in Haruhikari. The rate of reduction in stomatal conductance (gs) was similar for the two cultivars, but intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) in the flag leaf of Hongmangmai was lower than that of Haruhikari in non-irrigated treatment. No differences were observed in leaf water potential (ψ1) and osmotic adjustment of the flag leaf of the cultivars. These results imply that differences in photosynthetic inhibition on the flag leaf at low leaf ψ1 between the cultivars were primarily due to non-stomatal effects. Hence the main physiological factor associated with yield stability of Hongmangmai under drought stress may be attributed to the capacity for chloroplast activity in the flag leaf, which apparently allows sustained PN of flag leaf during grain filling under drought stress. The higher PN of ear in Hongmangmai under drought could also be related to its drought resistance. and T. Inoue ... [et al.].
Three-month-old mulberry (Morus alba L.) cultivars (drought tolerant S13 and drought sensitive S54) were subjected to water stress for 15 d. Water stress decreased the leaf water potential, net photosynthetic rate (PN), and stomatal conductance (gs) in both the cultivars. However, the magnitude of decline was comparatively greater in the sensitive cultivar (S54). Intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) was unaltered during mild stress, but significantly increased at severe stress in both cultivars. The photosystem 2 activity significantly declined only at a severe stress in both cultivars. The Ci/gs ratio representing the mesophyll efficiency was greater in the tolerant cultivar S13. Involvement of stomatal and/or non-stomatal components in declining PN depended on the severity and duration of stress. However, the degree of non-stomatal limitations was relatively less in the drought tolerant cultivar. and S. Ramanjulu, N. Sreenivasulu, C. Sudhakar.