Photosynthetic parameters including net photosynthetic rate (P N), transpiration rate (E), water-use efficiency (WUE), and stomatal conductance (g s) were studied in indoor C3 plants Philodendron domesticum (Pd), Dracaena fragans (Df), Peperomia obtussifolia (Po), Chlorophytum comosum (Cc), and in a CAM plant, Sansevieria trifasciata (St), exposed to various low temperatures (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C). All studied plants survived up to 0°C, but only St and Cc endured, while other plants wilted, when the temperature increased back to room temperature (25°C). The P N declined rapidly with the decrease of temperature in all studied plants. St showed the maximum P N of 11.9 μmol m-2 s-1 at 25°C followed by Cc, Po, Pd, and Df. E also followed a trend almost similar to that of P N. St showed minimum E (0.1 mmol m-2 s-1) as compared to other studied C3 plants at 25°C. The E decreased up to ≈4-fold at 5 and 0°C. Furthermore, a considerable decline in WUE was observed under cold stress in all C3 plants, while St showed maximum WUE. Similarly, the g s also declined gradually with the decrease in the temperature in all plants. Among C3 plants, Pd and Po showed the maximum g s of 0.07 mol m-2 s-1 at 25°C followed by Df and Cc. However, St showed the minimum gs that further decreased up to -4-fold at 0°C. In addition, the content of photosynthetic pigments [chlorophyll a, b, (a+b), and carotenoids] was varying in all studied plants at 0°C. Our findings clearly indicated the best photosynthetic potential of St compared to other studied plants. This species might be recommended for improving air quality in high-altitude closed environments., S. M. Gupta, A. Agarwal, B. Dev, K. Kumar, O. Prakash, M. C. Arya, M. Nasim., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
We conducted a hydroponic experiment in order to study effects of the ammonium/nitrate ratio (0:15, 5:10, 7.5:7.5, and 10:5) on photosynthetic characteristics and biomass accumulation in Brassica chinensis under low light intensity and water stress. Results showed that net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, intrinsic water-use efficiency, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, electron transport rate, and nonphotochemical quenching were lower in the treatment (low light intensity and water deficit) than those in the control, whereas stomatal limitation increased. Minimum fluorescence, maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, and photochemical quenching were largely unchanged. Pigment contents first increased and then decreased as the ammonium/nitrate ratios were altered, with significant differences between treatment and control observed at all ratios except for 10:5. Biomass first increased slightly and then decreased both in treated and control plants. Results suggest that economic losses caused by extreme conditions can be minimized by a proper adjustment of the ammonium/nitrate ratio., H. Q. Shang, G. M. Shen., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Species of the Theobroma genus are primarily known by their commercially valuable seeds, especially, T. cacao is one of the most important tropical perennial crops. Beside T. grandiflorum, T. bicolor, and T. angustifolium, T. cacao is the only species of the genus that has been better studied to obtain physiologically relevant information. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the leaf gas exchange in seedlings of seven species of the Theobroma genus, seeking to identify characteristics that could be used in T. cacao breeding programmes. The study was realized under greenhouse conditions using six-month-old seedlings, in which net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E), as well as parameters derived from light curves (PN vs. photosynthetically active radiation) were evaluated. T. cacao, along with T. microcarpum, showed the lowest values of PN, gs, and E, while the highest values were presented by T. speciosum, which showed higher saturation irradiance and lower intrinsic and instantaneous water-use efficiencies, being considered the species less conservative in water use. Therefore, the parameters shown by the different evaluated species could serve to design T. cacao genotypes, through introgression of genes for specific environments such as the cabruca system widespread in southern Bahia, Brazil., A.-A. F. Almeida, F. P. Gomes, R. P. Araujo, R. C. Santos, R. R. Valle., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The contribution of photosynthesis to yield improvement is important to know in order to determine future breeding strategies. The objectives of this study were to determine the contribution of photosynthesis and water-use efficiency (WUE) to grain yield improvement of facultative wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars on the Loess Plateau of China released between 1937 and 2004. The grain yield has increased nearly sevenfold during this period. Surprisingly, these increases were not correlated with the rate of photosynthesis per unit of leaf area when the cultivars were planted and managed in the same environment. The increases were also not correlated with transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, or WUE, except at the jointing stage. The total increase in photosynthesis may be due to enlargement of photosynthetic area and photosynthesis duration. The grain yield was positively correlated with the number of grains per unit of area (r = 0.855, P<0.05), harvest index (HI) (r = 0.885, P<0.01), and thousand-grain mass (r = 0.879, P<0.01). The increase in grain yield was limited by the grain number and the grain size (sink-limited) and the yield improvement was attributed to a rise in HI over the last 70 years in a highland agricultural system in China., X. Chen, M. -D. Hao., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) seedlings of three different origins were used to evaluate the effect of water deficit and recovery during the most vulnerable phase of forest tree life. Gas-exchange characteristics and fluorescence rapid light curves were studied in the seedlings from a warm region (PV1, 530 m a.s.l.), seedlings from a moderately warm region (PV2, 625 m a.s.l.), optimal for beech, and in seedlings from a cool region (PV3; 1,250 m a.s.l.). Changes in photosynthetic characteristics caused by water deficit were similar, but their intensity was dependent on the origin of the seedlings. Simulation of drought conditions by the interruption of watering led to a decrease in the efficiency of primary photochemistry in PSII, with the most significant decrease in the PV2 seedlings. Conversely, water deficit affected most significantly gas exchange in PV3, where the recovery process was also the worst. The PV1 demonstrated the highest resistance to water deficit. Drought-adaptation of beech seedlings at non-native sites seems to be linked to water availability and to the origin of the beech seedlings., E. Pšidová, Ľ. Ditmarová, G. Jamnická, D. Kurjak, J. Majerová, T. Czajkowski, A. Bolte., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Small rainfall events (≤ 5 mm) have short intervals, but account for a large proportion of the annual rainfall frequency in arid lands. To explore possible strategies used by desert plants to utilize the small rainfall events, we investigated the photosynthetic responses of 28 species to 1 mm and 6 mm of simulated rainfall in the Junggar Basin, northwest China. The species were grouped into four plant functional types: short-life-cycle herbs, long-life-cycle herbs, non-phreatophyte shrubs, and phreatophyte shrubs. The results showed that the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate increased in most of the herbs, but they responded differently to the rainfall treatments. However, the water-use efficiency did not significantly differ after 1 and 6 mm rainfall treatments in most of the shrubs. The maximum water absorption by leaves and the percentage increase of a leaf water content (LWC) were higher in the herbs than those in the shrubs. Plants with dense trichomes had the highest LWC. The results suggested that the desert plants benefited from the
micro-environment humidity provided by the small rainfall events., Y. Wu, X. J. Zheng , Y. Li., and Obsahuje seznam literatury