Prosopis juliflora is an invasive leguminous tree species growing profusely under wide environmental conditions. Primary objective of this study was to investigate adaptation strategies evolved to deal with wide environmental conditions during different seasons. P. juliflora adapts through a production of leaves in two seasons, namely, the spring (the first cohort) and monsoon (the second cohort) with differing but optimal physiological characteristics for growth in respective seasons. Our studies show that the first cohort of leaves exhibit maximum carbon fixation under moderate temperatures and a wide range of PPFD. However, these leaves are sensitive to high leaf-to-air-vapor pressure deficit (VPD) occurring at high temperatures in summer resulting in senescence. While the second cohort of leaves produced during monsoon showed maximum carbon fixation at high irradiance and temperatures with low VPD, it is sensitive to low temperatures causing senescence in winter., P. A. Shirke, U. V. Pathre, P. V. Sane., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
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
Photoprotective pigments, like those involved in the xanthophyll cycle, help plants avoid oxidative damage caused by excess radiation. This study aims to characterize a spectrum of strategies used to cope with light stress by a diverse group of prairie plants at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve (East Bethel, MN). We find that concentrations of photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments are highly correlated with one another and with other physiological traits across species and over time, and tend to be phylogenetically conserved. During a period of water limitation, plots dominated by species with constitutively low pigment concentrations showed a greater decline in mean reflectance and photochemical reflectance index, a reflectance-based indicator of photoprotective physiology, possibly due to alterations in canopy structure. Our findings suggest two contrasting strategies for withstanding light stress: (1) Using photoprotective pigments to dissipate excess energy, and (2) altering canopy structure to minimize absorbance of excess radiation., S. Kothari, J. Cavender-Bares, K. Bitan, A. S. Verhoeven, R. Wang, R. A. Montgomery, J. A. Gamon., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
A field study was conducted with the aim to elucidate photosynthetic responses of five emmer hulled wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum) accessions to 30 (N-limited) and 100 kg(N) ha-1
(N-sufficient) conditions at control and drought stress (irrigation after 30-40% and 60-70% depletion of available soil water, respectively). Chlorophyll (Chl) a and Chl b concentrations of the emmer wheats remained unchanged but net photosynthetic rate and dry mass increased and decreased, respectively, when received a sufficient amount of N. Smaller drought-induced decreases in Chl concentration, membrane stability index, and dry mass were concomitant to a greater decrease in intercellular CO2 concentration of emmer compared to the durum (Triticum turgidum) and bread wheats (Triticum aestivum). The lack of negative effect of insufficient N on Chl concentration and dry mass of emmer wheat suggests that this type of wheat possesses an obvious potential for organic farming., M. Vaghar, P. Ehsanzadeh., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yields are impacted by overall photosynthetic production. Factors that influence crop photosynthesis are the plants genetic makeup and the environmental conditions. This study investigated cultivar variation in photosynthesis in the field conditions under both ambient and higher temperature. Six diverse cotton cultivars were grown in the field at Stoneville, MS under both an ambient and a high temperature regime during the 2006-2008 growing seasons. Mid-season leaf net photosynthetic rates (PN) and dark-adapted chlorophyll fluorescence variable to maximal ratios (Fv/Fm) were determined on two leaves per plot. Temperature regimes did not have a significant effect on either PN or Fv/Fm. In 2006, however, there was a significant cultivar × temperature interaction for PN caused by PeeDee 3 having a lower PN under the high temperature regime. Other cultivars' PN were not affected by temperature. FM 800BR cultivar consistently had a higher PN across the years of the study. Despite demonstrating a higher leaf Fv/Fm, ST 5599BR exhibited a lower PN than the other cultivars. Although genetic variability was detected in photosynthesis and heat tolerance, the differences found were probably too small and inconsistent to be useful for a breeding program., W. T. Pettigrew., and Obsahuje bibliografii
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
Water stress usually impairs photosynthesis and plant growth. Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana is well adapted to dry environments. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of a progressive decrease in soil water content on photosynthetic-related parameters at the young seedling stage. Drought-induced plant responses occurred according to two types of kinetics. Water potential, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rates were rapidly affected by a decrease in soil water content, while chlorophyll fluorescence-related parameters and chlorophyll concentrations decreased only when soil water content was lower than 40%. The maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry in the dark-adapted state remained unaffected by the treatment, whatever the stress duration. A. raddiana accumulated high concentrations of soluble sugars in relation to a stress-induced early stimulation of sucrose-phosphate synthase activity, while stimulation of invertase and sucrose synthase led to fructose accumulation only at the end of the stress period. We suggested that sugar accumulation may be involved in osmotic adjustment and protection of stressed tissues. A. raddiana was thus able to protect its photosynthetic machinery under drought conditions and may be considered as a promising species for revegetation of dry areas., S. Kebbas, S. Lutts, F. Aid., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In the Orinoco lowlands, savannas have been often replaced by pastures composed of the C4 grass, Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. We addressed following questions: (1) How does the replacement of the native vegetation affect CO2 exchange on seasonal and annual scales? (2) How do biophysical constraints change when the landscape is transformed? To assess how these changes affect carbon exchange, we determined simultaneously the CO2 fluxes by eddy covariance, and the soil CO2 efflux by a chamber-based system in B. decumbens and herbaceous savanna stands. Measurements covered a one-year period from the beginning of the dry season (November 2008) to the end of the wet season (November 2009). During the wet season, the net ecosystem CO2 exchange reached maximum values of 23 and 10 μmol(CO2) m-2 s-1 in the B. decumbens field and in the herbaceous savanna stand, respectively. The soil CO2 efflux for both stands followed a temperature variation during the dry and wet seasons, when the soil water content (SWC) increased above 0.087 m3 m-3 in the latter case. Bursts of CO2 emissions were evident when the dry soil experienced rehydration. The carbon source/sink dynamics over the two canopies differed markedly. Annual measurements of the net ecosystem production indicated that the B. decumbens field constituted a strong carbon sink of 216 g(C) m-2 y-1. By contrast, the herbaceous savanna stand was found to be only a weak sink [36 g(C) m-2 y-1]. About 53% of the gross primary production was lost as the ecosystem respiration. Carbon uptake was limited by SWC in the herbaceous savanna stand as evident from the pattern of water-use efficiency (WUE). At the B. decumbens stand, WUE was relatively insensitive to SWC. Although these results were specific to the studied site, the effect of land use changes and the physiological response of the studied stands might be applicable to other savannas., J. San José, R. Montes, N. Nikonova, J. Grace, C. Buendía., and Obsahuje bibliografii
We carried out a field experiment in order to study effects of fertilization in juvenile plants of three coffee (Coffea arabica) cultivars in Yunnan, SW China. Fertilization treatments included a control without fertilizer (CK), combinations of three NPK fertilization rates [high fertilization (FH), medium fertilization (FM), and low fertilization (FL) with 135, 90, and 45 g per plant per year, respectively], and at two N:P2O5:K2O ratios (R1, 1:0.5:0.8; R2, 1:0.8:0.5). The growth in juvenile plants was not altered by fertilization, with two clear growth peaks being observed in both the height and stem growth rates (RGRs) throughout a year. Both FM and FH resulted in significantly higher RGRs in both height and stem diameter compared to FL and CK in all three cultivars. At the same fertilization rate, the leaf area, branch number, longest branch length, internode number, and biomass of R2 were higher than those of R1, and P significantly affected the root biomass and root to shoot ratio. Compared to the FL treatment, both FM and FH treatments resulted in higher net photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance across seasons, and in higher intrinsic water-use efficiency during the dry season and at the middle of the wet season. Photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency at R2 was higher than that at R1, but no significant differences were observed between the different fertilization rates. Among the three coffee cultivars, Caturra exhibited the highest height, stem diameter, longest branch length, and internode number. Our results indicated that the optimal N:P2O5:K2O ratio was 1:0.8:0.5 for the juvenile growth of coffee plants. Both FM and FH could help optimize the growth and photosynthetic rate of coffee plants, but FM is suitable for the ecological friendly agriculture and economic sustainability at coffee plantations., Z. X. Zhang, Z. Q. Cai, G. Z. Liu, H. Wang, L. Huang, C. T. Cai., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is one of the important C4 crops in the semiarid regions of northern China. It is a close relative of biofuel crop switchgrass. Yet, there is no information on how these crops might respond to a climate change in China. In order to gain insight into such a response, we studied the effect of elevated CO2 concentration (EC) on broomcorn millet. The changes in leaf photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, morphological parameters, biomass and yield in response to EC [i.e., + 200 µmol(CO2) mol-1] over two years were determined at the open-top chamber (OTC) experimental facility in north China. EC increased net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, instantaneous transpiration efficiency, effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, and photochemical quenching coefficient of fully expanded flag leaves. Maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry declined under EC in 2013, but was not affected in 2014. EC significantly decreased intrinsic efficiency of PSII in 2013, but increased in 2014. Leaf nonphotochemical quenching decreased under EC both in 2013 and 2014. EC significantly enhanced the aboveground biomass and yield by average of 31.4 and 25.5% in both years, respectively. The increased yield of broomcorn millet under EC occurred due to the enhanced number of grains per plant. We concluded that photosynthesis of broomcorn millets was improved through increased stomatal conductance in leaves under EC, which led to an increase in height, stem diameter, aboveground biomass, and yield. This study extends our understanding of the response of this ancient C4 crop to elevated CO2 concentration., X. Y. Hao, P. Li, H. Y. Li, Y. Z. Zong, B. Zhang, J. Z. Zhao, Y. H. Han., and Obsahuje bibliografii