Employing the non-invasive techniques of infra-red gas analysis and pulse amplitude modulated chlorophyll fluorometry, we determined the partitioning of photosynthetic electrons between photosynthetic carbon reduction and other reductive processes resulting in the formation of active oxygen species (AOS) in intact green leaves. This we studied in plant species that are adapted to two different agro-climatic conditions, namely the warm plains (76°36'E, 9°32'N) and the cool mountains (1 600 m a.s.l.) in the south Indian state of Kerala. Ground frost and low temperature were more harmful to those species adapted to the warm plains than the ones adapted to the cool mountains. Exposure to low temperature decreased leaf photosynthetic carbon assimilation rates and quantum yield of photochemical activity in species naturally adapted to the warm plains. High irradiances further aggravated the harmful effects of low temperature stress possibly by overproducing AOS. This resulted in severe peroxidative damage as inferred by the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the leaves. and B. Alam, J. Jacob.
In sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) grown under controlled conditions and subjected to drought by withholding watering, net photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs) of attached leaves decreased as leaf water potential (Ψw) declined from -0.3 to -2.9 MPa. Although gs decreased over the whole range of Ψw, nearly constant values in the intercellular CO2 concentrations (Ci) were observed as Ψw decreased to -1.8 MPa, but Ci increased as Ψw decreased further. Relative quantum yield, photochemical quenching, and the apparent quantum yield of photosynthesis decreased with water deficit, whereas non-photochemical quenching (qNP) increased progressively. A highly significant negative relationship between qNP and ATP content was observed. Water deficit did not alter the pyridine nucleotide concentration but decreased ATP content suggesting metabolic impairment. At a photon flux density of 550 µmol m-2 s-1, the allocation of electrons from photosystem (PS) 2 to O2 reduction was increased by 51 %, while the allocation to CO2 assimilation was diminished by 32 %, as Ψw declined from -0.3 to -2.9 MPa. A significant linear relationship between mean PN and the rate of total linear electron transport was observed in well watered plants, the correlation becoming curvilinear when water deficit increased. The maximum quantum yield of PS2 was not affected by water deficit, whereas qP declined only at very severe stress and the excess photon energy was dissipated by increasing qNP indicating that a greater proportion of the energy was thermally dissipated. This accounted for the apparent down-regulation of PS2 and supported the protective role of qNP against photoinhibition in sunflower. and W. Tezara, S. Driscoll, D. W. Lawlor.
The photosynthetic response of three Arachis hypogaea L. cultivars (57-422, 73-30, and GC 8-35) grown for two months was measured under water available conditions, severe water stress, and 24, 72, and 93 h following re-watering. At the end of the drying cycle, all the cultivars reached dehydration, relative water content (RWC) ranging between 40 and 50 %. During dehydration, leaf stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E), and net photosynthetic rate (PN) decreased more in cvs. 57-422 and GC 8-35 than in 73-30. Instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEi) and photosynthetic capacity (Pmax) decreased mostly in cv. GC 8-35. Except in cv. GC 8-35, the activity of photosystem 1 (PS1) was only slightly affected. PS2 and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO) were the main targets of water stress. After re-watering, cvs. 73-30 and GC 8-35 rapidly regained gs, E, and PN activities. Twenty-four hours after re-watering, the electron transport rates and RuBPCO activity strongly increased. PN and Pmax fully recovered later. Considering the different photosynthetic responses of the studied genotype, a general characterisation of the interaction between water stress and this metabolism is presented. and J. A. Lauriano ... [et al.].
Diurnal patterns of gas exchange and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters of photosystem 2 (PS2) as well as H2O2 content were analyzed in Reaumuria soongorica (Pall.) Maxim., a perennial semi-shrub. The rate of photorespiration was estimated by combined measurement of gas exchange and Chl fluorescence. The rate of photorespiration increased with the increasing drought stress (DS). The ratio of carboxylation electron flow to oxygenation electron flow (Jc/Jo) and the maximal photochemical efficiency of PS2 (variable to maximum fluorescence ratio, Fv/Fm) decreased with the increasing DS. Fv/Fm in isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH)-sprayed plants was lower than that in normal plants under moderate DS, but no significant difference was observed under severe DS. H2O2 content in INH-sprayed plants was significantly lower than that in normal plants under severe DS. Taken together, photorespiration in R. soongorica consumed excess electrons and protected photosynthetic apparatus under moderate DS, whereas it accelerated H2O2 accumulation markedly and induced the leaf abscission under severe DS. and J. Bai ... [et al.].
The influence of viral infection caused by two different potyviruses, Potato virus Y (PVY) and Potato virus A (PVA) on plant metabolism and photosynthetic apparatus of Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun and cv. Petit Havana SR1 was studied. The main stress was focused on the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME), and pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK). The analysis of the presence of viral proteins, enzyme activities, and different photosynthetic parameters showed the time dependent progress of viral infection and NADP-ME and PEPC activities. PVY caused significant response, while PVA affected both tobacco cultivars only slightly. Viral infection, namely PVY, affected more negatively photosynthetic apparatus of cv. Petit Havana SR1 than cv. Samsun. and H. Ryšlavá ... [et al.].
In two hybrids of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench.), C51 and C42, high nitrogen concentration (HN) increased net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E) of well watered (HW) plants. Water stressing (LW plants) resulted in low PN, gs, and E in both hybrids, but the values were still higher in HN plants as compared to low nitrogen-grown (LN) plants. Intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) increased in droughted plants. This increase was much higher in LN plants as compared to HN plants. Instantaneous water use efficiency was lower in LN plants as a consequence of a greater effect of water stress on photosynthesis. Leaf water potential was reduced by water stress in all treatments. Analysis of chlorophyll a fluorescence at room temperature showed that photosystem 2 (PS2) was rather tolerant to the water stress imposed. Water stress caused a slight decrease in the efficiency of excitation capture by open PS2 reaction centres (Fv/Fm). The in vivo quantum yield of PS2 photochemistry (ΦPS2) and the photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) were slightly reduced, while the nonphotochemical quenching coefficient (qN) was increased under the water stress. However, in hybrid C42 these characters were little or not affected by the water stress.
Calamagrostis arundinacea L. (Roth.) and C. villosa (Chaix.) J.F. Gmel are two grass species substituting forest communities on deforested areas in Central Europe. They were exposed to enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B, λ = 290-320 nm) radiation during 22 weeks. A system of modulated lamps operating under field conditions was used to simulate a 25 % increase of incident UV-B radiation. CO2 assimilation seemed to be limited by a decrease of stomatal conductance (gs) in C. arundinacea, whereas carboxylation activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO) was not affected. On the contrary, gs and RuBPCO activity decreased in C. villosa. These physiological adjustments resulted in growth changes; above-ground biomass decreased in C. villosa (prevailing negative effect) and significantly increased in C. arundinacea (prevailing positive effect) in response to enhanced UV-B radiation. and O. Urban ... [et al.].
Photosynthesis and growth characteristics of Parthenocissus quinquefolia were measured under differing soil water availability within a pot. Decreased soil moisture significantly reduced the leaf relative water content (RWC) and the above- and below-ground biomass. However, more biomass was allocated to the root than to the leaf. Net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E) were also significantly decreased but water use efficiency (WUE) was increased. Midday depressions in PN and gs were not evident for the well-irrigated plants. With the lower water availability, midday reductions in PN and gs were much more marked and the duration of the depression was longer. Additionally, the PN-irradiance response curves also indicated that water supply affected photosynthesis capacity. The growth and photosynthetic response of P. quinquefolia to water supply indicated that this species could resilient to water availabilities and adapt to Hunshandak conditions very well. and Z. J. Zhang ... [et al.].
In Ochroma pyramidale (Cav. ex Lam.) Urb., photon-saturated photosynthetic capacity (PNmax) was 13 μmol(CO2) m-2 s-1. Average stomatal conductance (gs) and water-use efficiency (WUE) were greater at high irradiance, about 260 mmol(H2O) m-2 s-1 and 2.15 g(C) kg-1(H2O), respectively. In the dark, gs values were about 30% of maximum gs. Leaf nutrient contents on a leaf area basis were 131, 15, 36, 21, and 12 mmol m-2 for N, P, K, Ca, and Mg, respectively. Ochroma also accumulated a greater amount of soluble saccharides than starch, 128 versus 90 g kg-1 (DM). The availability of N and Mg, but not P, Ca, or K, may limit photosynthetic rates of Ochroma in this site. and R. A. Marenco, J. F. de C. Gonçalves, G. Vieira.
We investigated the physiological effect of night chilling (CN) on potted seedlings of two tropical tree species, Calophyllum polyanthum and Linociera insignis, in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. Seedlings grown under 8, 25, and 50 % daylight for five months were moved to a 4-6 °C cold storage house for three consecutive nights, and returned to the original shaded sites during the day. CN resulted in strong suppression of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance for L. insignis, and reduced photorespiration rates, carboxylation efficiency, and maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (PS2) at dawn and midday for both species. CN increased dawn and midday rates of non-photochemical quenching, and the contents of malondialdehyde and H2O2 for both species. CN also induced inactivation or destruction of PS2 reaction centres. The impacts of CN on tropical seedlings increased with the number of CN. Shading could significantly mitigate the adverse effects of CN for both species. After 3-d-recovery, gas exchange and fluorescence parameters for both species returned to pre-treatment levels in most cases. Thus CN induced mainly stomatal limitation of photosynthesis for L. insignis, and non-stomatal limitation for C. polyanthum. C. polyanthum was more susceptible to CN than L. insignis. Fog, which often occurs in Xishuangbanna, could be beneficial to chilling sensitive tropical seedlings in this area through alleviating photoinhibition or photodamage by reducing sunlight. and Y.-L. Feng, K.-F. Cao.