Photosynthetic parameters were studied in Arbutus unedo L. trees growing at either ambient (AC) or elevated EC (mean 465 µmol mol-1) CO2 concentration near a natural CO2 vent in Orciatico, Italy Diurnal courses of net photosynthetic rate (PN), ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), and quantum yield of electron transport through photosystem 2 (Φ2) were measured on sun and shade leaves. The contents of N, C, Ca, K, P, and chlorophyll (Chl) and specific leaf area (SLA) in these leaf categories were also determined. A morning peak and midday depression of PN were found for both AC and EC sun leaves. Long-term EC caused little or no down-acclimation of PN in sum leaves. The estimate of total daily CO2 uptake was lower in AC leaves than in EC leaves. In shade leaves, it reached up to 70 % of the value of sun leaves. The Fv/Fm ratio showed decreasing trend in the morning, reached a minimum at midday (90 % of dawn value), and then increased in the afternoon. The EC had no effect on Fv/Fm either in sun or shade leaves. Plants grown near the CO2 spring had lower Chl content, higher SLA, and higher Ca and K contents than plants grown under AC. and M. Barták, A. Raschi, R. Tognetti.
We compared the photosynthetic traits in response to soil water availability in an endangered plant species Mosla hangchowensis Matsuda and in a weed Mosla dianthera (Buch.-Ham.) Maxim. The highest diurnal mean net photosynthetic rate (PNmean), stomatal conductance (gs), and water use efficiency (WUE) of both species occurred at 60 % soil water holding capacity (WHC), while the lowest values occurred at 20 % WHC. The PNmean, gs, and chlorophyll (Chl) a and b contents of M. hangchowensis were lower than those of M. dianthera, while the physiological plasticity indices were higher than those of M. dianthera. M. hangchowensis had strong adaptability to the changing soil water status but weak extending population ability in its habitats because of the low PNmean, which may be one of the causes of its endangerment. and Y. Ge ... [et al.].
The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is commonly grown in the Mediterranean area, where it is adapted to resist periods characterized by severe drought and high irradiance levels. Photosynthetic efficiency (in terms of Fv/Fm and ΦPSII), photochemical (qP) and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) were determined in two-year-old olive plants (cultivars Coratina and Biancolilla) grown under two different light levels (exposed plants, EP, and shaded plants, SP) during a 21-day controlled water deficit. After reaching the maximum level of drought stress, plants were rewatered for 23 days. During the experimental period, measurements of gas exchange and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence were carried out to study the photosynthetic performance of olive plants. The synergical effect of drought stress and high irradiance levels caused a reduction of gas exchange and photosynthetic efficiency and these decreases were more marked in EP. EP showed a higher degree of photoinhibition, a higher NPQ and a lower qP if compared to SP. Coratina was more sensitive to high light and drought stress but also showed a slower recovery during rewatering, whereas Biancolilla showed a less marked photosynthesis depression during drought and a considerable resilience during rewatering. The results confirm that photoinhibition due to high light intensity and water deficit can be an important factor that affects photosynthetic productivity in this species. and A. Sofo ... [et al.].
Response to irradiance of leaf net photosynthetic rates (PN) of four carrot cultivars: Cascade, Caro Choice (CC), Oranza, and Red Core Chantenay (RCC) were examined in a controlled environment. Gas exchange measurements were conducted at photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) from 100 to 1 000 μmol m-2 s-1 at 20 °C and 350 μmol (CO2) mol-1(air). The values of PN were fitted to a rectangular hyperbolic nonlinear regression model. PN for all cultivars increased similarly with increasing PAR but Cascade and Oranza generally had higher PN than CC. None of the cultivars reached saturation at 1 000 μmol m-2 s-1. The predicted PN at saturation
(PNmax) for Cascade, CC, Oranza, and RCC were 19.78, 16.40, 19.79, and 18.11 μmol (CO2) m-2 s-1, respectively. The compensation irradiance (I c) occurred at 54 μmol m-2 s-1 for Cascade, 36 μmol m-2 s-1 for CC, 45 μmol m-2 s-1 for Oranza, and 25 μmol m-2 s-1 for RCC. The quantum yield among the cultivars ranged between 0.057-0.033 mol(CO2) mol-1(PAR) and did not differ. Dark respiration varied from 2.66 μmol m-2 s-1 for Cascade to 0.85 μmol m-2 s-1 for RCC. As PN increased with PAR, intercellular CO2 decreased in a non-linear manner. Increasing PAR increased stomatal conductance and transpiration rate to a peak between 600 and 800 μmol m-2 s-1 followed by a steep decline resulting in sharp increases in water use efficiency. and S. Kyei-Boahen ... [et al.].
We investigated the characteristics of gaseous exchanges and chlorophyll a fluorescence under different irradiances in two liana species Canavalia parviflora Benth. (Fabaceae) and Gouania virgata Reissk (Rhamnaceae), both of a semi-deciduous tropical forest of Southeast Brazil. We used cultivated plants growing under irradiances of 100, 40, 10, and 1.5 % of the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). Higher net photosynthetic rates (PN) were observed during early morning under full sunlight. After this, reduced PN values were recorded due to pronounced stomatal closure. In Canavalia, the gas exchange responses diminished concomitant with reduced irradiance. Gouania exhibited a narrower range of response, with high PN values even at 10 % PPFD. Marked reduction of the effective photochemical yield (ΔF/Fm') near midday was observed, followed by increases in the non-photochemical quenching for both species under full sunlight. Despite the common occurrence of these species in open areas of the forest, both were able to maintain relatively high PN in shaded environments. We suggest that lianas present an intermediate physiological behaviour between shade and non-shade tolerant species. and M. C. Sanches, I. F. M. Válio.
The responses of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence of field-growing Ulmus pumila seedlings to changes in simulated precipitation were studied in Hunshandak Sandland, China. Leaf water potential (Ψwp), net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E) were significantly increased with enhancement of precipitation from 0 to 20 mm (p<0.01), indicating stomatal limitation of U. pumila seedlings that could be avoided when soil water was abundant. However, PN changed slightly when precipitation exceeded 20 mm (p>0.05), indicating more precipitation than 20 mm had no significant effects on photosynthesis. Maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2, PS 2 (Fv/Fm) increased from 0.53 to 0.78 when rainfall increased from 0 to 10 mm, and Fv/Fm maintained a steady state level when rainfall was more than 10 mm. Water use efficiency (WUE) decreased significantly (from 78-95 to 23-27 µmol mol-1) with enhancement of rainfalls. PN showed significant linear correlations with both gs and Ψwp (p<0.0001), which implied that leaf water status influenced gas exchange of U. pumila seedlings. The 20-mm precipitation (soil water content at about 15 %, v/v) might be enough for the growth of elm seedlings. When soil water content (SWC) reached 10 %, down regulation of PS2 photochemical efficiency could be avoided, but stomatal limitation to photosynthesis remained. When SWC exceeded 15 %, stomatal limitation to photosynthesis could be avoided, indicating elm seedlings might tolerate moderate drought. and Y.-G. Li ... [et al.].
Cuttings of P. przewalski were exposed to two different watering regimes which were watered to 100 and 25 % of field capacity (WW and WS, respectively). Drought stress not only significantly decreased net photosynthetic rate (PN), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), efficiency of photosystem 2 (PS2) (Fv/Fm and yield), and increased intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) under controlled optimal conditions, but also altered the diurnal changes of gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and WUEi. On the other hand, WS also affected the
PN-photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) response curve. Under drought stress, PN peak appeared earlier (at about 10:30 of local time) than under WW condition (at about 12:30). At midday, there was a depression in PN for WS plants, but not for WW plants, and it could be caused by the whole microclimate, especially high temperature, low relative humidity, and high PAR. There were stomatal and non-stomatal limitations to photosynthesis. Stomatal limitation dominated in the morning, and low PN at midday was caused by both stomatal and non-stomatal limitations, whereas non-stomatal limitation dominated in the afternoon. In addition, drought stress also increased compensation irradiance and dark respiration rate, and decreased saturation irradiance and maximum net photosynthetic rate. Thus drought stress decreased plant assimilation and increased dissimilation through affected gas exchange, the diurnal pattern of gas exchange, and photosynthesis-PAR response curve, thereby reducing plant growth and productivity. and C. Y. Yin, F. Berninger, C. Y. Li.
Two contrasting sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) populations from the low (LA) and high (HA) altitudinal regions were employed to evaluate the plant physiological responses to solar UV-A radiation and near-ambient UV-B radiation (UV-B+A) under the sheltered frames with different solar ultraviolet radiation transmittance. LA-population was more responsive to solar UV-A. Some modification caused by UV-A only existed in LA-population, such as significant reduction of leaf size, relative water content, and chlorophyll (Chl) b content as well as δ13C elevation, coupled with larger increase of contents of total carotenoids (Cars). This higher responsiveness might be an effective pre-acclimation strategy adapting for concomitant solar UV-B stress. Near-ambient UV-B+A radiation caused significant reduction of leaf size and Chl content as well as slight down-regulation of photosystem 2 activity that paralleled with higher heat dissipation, while photosynthetic rate was modestly but significantly increased. The higher photosynthesis under near-ambient UV-B+A radiation could be related to pronounced increase of leaf thickness and effective physiological modification, like the increase of leaf protective pigments (Cars and UV-absorbing compound), constant high photochemical capacity, and improved water economy. and Y. Q. Yang, Y. Yao.
The review is done to summarise the history of the discoveries of the many anatomical, agronomical, and physiological aspects of C4 photosynthesis (where the first chemical products of CO2 fixation in illuminated leaves are four-carbon dicarboxylic acids) and to document correctly the scientists at the University of Arizona and the University of California, Davis, who made these early discoveries. The findings were milestones in plant science that occurred shortly after the biochemical pathway of C3 photosynthesis in green algae (where the first chemical product is a three-carbon compound) was elucidated at the University of California, Berkeley, and earned a Nobel Prize in chemistry. These remarkable achievements were the result of ground-breaking pioneering research efforts carried out by many agronomists, plant physiologists and biochemists in several laboratories, particularly in the USA. Numerous reviews and books written in the past four decades on the history of C4 photosynthesis have focused on the biochemical aspects and give an unbalanced history of the multidisciplinary/multinstitutional nature of the achievements made by agronomists, who published much of their work in Crop Science. Most notable among the characteristics of the C4 species that differentiated them from the C3 ones are: (I) high optimum temperature and high irradiance saturation for maximum leaf photosynthetic rates; (II) apparent lack of CO2 release in a rapid stream of CO2-free air in illuminated leaves in varying temperatures and high irradiances; (III) a very low CO2 compensation point; (IV) lower mesophyll resistances to CO2 diffusion coupled with higher stomatal resistances, and, hence, higher instantaneous leaf water use efficiency; (V) the existence of the so-called "Kranz leaf anatomy" and the higher internal exposed mesophyll surface area per cell volume; and (VI) the ability to recycle respiratory CO2 by illuminated leaves.
In a controlled experiment, Salix matsudana cuttings were subjected to three atmospheric temperatures (i.e. control, 0.5 and 1.0 °C above the control, respectively) to explore their short-term plastic responses to simulated atmospheric temperature rise. Warming affected significantly net photosynthetic and transpiration rates, but had no significant impacts on water use efficiency, ratio of sub-stomatal to atmospheric CO2 concentration, maximum quantum yield, water saturation deficit, tissue density, and water loss. Leaf natality and leaf mortality were affected significantly by increasing atmospheric temperature. Total plant biomass, leaf mass ratio, root mass ratio, and canopy productivity index exhibited significant responses to the warming treatments, but obvious differences in the changing details did appear among the four traits. Hence: (1) S. matsudana cuttings were sensitive to small-range atmospheric temperature increases such as 0.5-1.0 °C, which can alter growth and allocation through modifying photosynthetic rate and leaf turnover. (2) Short-term physiological acclimation did not occur in young individuals of S. matsudana. (3) The warming depressed growth of young individuals of S. matsudana to various extents. and W. M. He, M. Dong.