The influence of different leaf-to-fruit (l-t-f) ratios on leaf net photosynthetic rate (PN) and fruit characteristics in Olea europaea L. cv. Frantoio was evaluated in 2001 and 2002. In both years, at the end of June, at the end of July, and in mid-September (first, second, and third time of treatment, respectively), defoliation or fruit thinning were performed to give l-t-f ratios of 1/1, 3/1, 5/1, and 7/1 (about 5.1, 15.3, 25.6, and 35.8 cm2 of leaf area per fruit, respectively) on girdled and ungirdled peripheral shoots. PN showed substantial seasonal and diurnal variations. In ungirdled shoots, no differences due to the different l-t-f ratios were observed, whereas in girdled shoots PN tended to be lower in shoots with a high l-t-f ratio. In general, the values of leaf transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), sub-stomatal CO2 concentration (Ci), and dark respiration rate (RD) were associated with those of PN. The starch and reducing sugar contents and area leaf dry mass (ADM) tended to be higher in leaves on girdled shoots with high l-t-f ratio, whereas in ungirdled shoots no differences related to the different l-t-f ratios were observed. The higher saccharide content in the leaves and the lower PN, in the presence of a high Ci, observed in girdled shoots with a high l-t-f ratio suggests that the depression in PN in these shoots may be the result of a feedback inhibition of the photosynthetic mechanism that regulates such a process. The l-t-f ratio did not have a substantial effect on fruit drop. In ungirdled shoots, the different l-t-f ratios did not produce significant differences in terms of fruit growth and leaf dry matter and saccharide contents, whereas in girdled shoots fruit growth increased as the l-t-f ratio increased, particularly when treatments were applied at the initial stage of fruit development. The percentage of oil in the pulp, on a dry matter basis, was not substantially influenced by girdling and l-t-f ratio. The abundant availability of assimilates seemed to cause earlier fruit ripening and, at the same time, retard fruit senescence (fruit detachment force). Shoot growth was slightly reduced by girdling. The abundant availability of assimilates, induced by girdling associated with high l-t-f ratio, stimulated flower induction. and P. Proietti, L. Nasini, F. Famiani.
The effects of metabolisable sugars sucrose and glucose along with non-metabolisable isomers of sucrose palatinose and turanose were tested. Rate of oxygen evolution (P), electron transport rate (ETR), and photochemical quenching (qp) showed substantial decrease after 24 and 48 h by glucose and sucrose treatments, whereas there was no effect on all these parameters by the treatment with palatinose and turanose. Also the Fv/Fm ratio remained constant through the time of studies revealing that the maximal photochemical capacity of the cells was unchanged. Non-photochemical quenching (qN) showed a decrease compared to the control values by all the treatments. Hence P and Chl fluorescence parameter were affected only by those sugars which are used in the metabolic pathways and not by sugar analogues. and A. K. Sinha, T. Roitsch.
The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is an important tropical crop with a high economic value that has been successfully cultivated in Xishuangbanna, China. Xishuangbanna has a long dry season (November-February) with cold nights and frequent fog events. Thus, it is important to select chilling-tolerant cultivars in order to understand better the role of fog in protecting rubber tree from chilling-induced photodamage. In this study, we examined the photosynthetic responses of six rubber tree cultivars (Lan 873, Yunyan 77-2, Yunyan 77-4, GT1, Reken 523, and Reyan 733-97) to night-chilling stress (0, 5, and 10°C) and two different irradiances (100 and 50% of full sunlight). Our results showed that all six cultivars could withstand nights at 10°C for three days, while night chilling at 0 and 5°C impaired photosynthesis, which was indicated by photoinhibition, decrease of soluble protein content, and accumulation of malondialdehyde. Reken 523 and Reyan 733-97 were more sensitive to night chilling than other cultivars. Low irradiance (50% of full sunlight) after the chilling treatment apparently mitigated the effect of night-chilling stress. It indicates that frequent fog events after cold nights might greatly contribute to the success of rubber tree cultivation in Xishuangbanna., Y.-H. Tian, H.-F. Yuan, J. Xie, J.-W. Deng, X.-S. Dao, Y.-L. Zheng., and Seznam literatury
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.].
The effect of a short (7 d), prolonged (14 d) soil drought (D) and (7 d) recovery (DR) on the leaf optical properties - reflectance (R), transmittance (T) and absorptance (A) in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and near infrared radiation (NIR) range of irradiation (750-1100 nm) was studied for maize and triticale genotypes differing in drought tolerance. The drought stress caused the changes in leaf optical properties parameters in comparison with non-drought plants. The observed harmful influence of drought was more visible for maize than triticale. and M. T. Grzesiak ... [et al].
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
The effect of ectomycorrhizal Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt) infection was studied on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Pinus densiflora seedlings grown at ambient (360 µmol mol-1, AC) and elevated (720 µmol mol-1, EC) CO2 concentrations. After 18 weeks, Pt inoculation had led to significantly increased dry mass and stem diameter of P. densiflora at both CO2 concentrations, relative to non-inoculated seedlings. Moreover, EC significantly increased the ectomycorrhizal development. The phosphate content in needles inoculated with Pt was about three times higher than without inoculation at both CO2 concentrations. The PAR saturated net photosynthetic rates (Psat) of P. densiflora inoculated with Pt were clearly higher than for control seedlings at both CO2 concentrations, and the maximum net photosynthetic rate (PN) at saturated CO2 concentration (Pmax) was higher than in controls. Moreover, the carboxylation efficiency (CE) and RuBP regeneration rate of the PN/Ci curve for P. densiflora inoculated with Pt were significantly higher than for non-inoculated seedlings at both CO2 concentrations, especially at EC. The water use efficiency (WUE) of seedlings inoculated with Pt grown at EC was significantly raised. Allocation of photosynthates to roots was greater in Pt inoculated pine seedlings, because of the enhanced activity of ectomycorrhiza associated with seedlings at EC. Moreover, PN of non-inoculated seedlings grown for 18 weeks at EC tended to be down regulated; in contrast, Pt inoculated seedlings showed no down-regulation at EC. The activity of ectomycorrhiza may therefore be enhanced physiological function related to water and phosphate absorption in P. densiflora seedlings at EC. and D. S. Choi ... [et al.].
The response of stomatal parameters of four rice cultivars to atmospheric elevated CO2 concentration (EC) was studied using open top chambers. EC brought about reduction in stomatal conductance and increase in stomatal index, size of stomatal guard cells, stroma, and epidermal cells. Such acclimation helped the regulation of photosynthesis to EC. These changes in stomatal characters made rice cultivars adjustable to EC environment. and D. C. Uprety ... [et al.].
Gas exchange and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence were measured on young mature leaves of rose plants (Rosa hybrida cvs. First Red and Twingo) grown in two near-to-tight greenhouses, one under control ambient CO2 concentration, AC (355 µmol mol-1) and one under CO2 enrichment, EC (700 µmol mol-1), during four flushes from late June to early November. Supply of water and mineral elements was non-limiting while temperature was allowed to rise freely during daytime. Leaf diffusive conductance was not significantly reduced at EC but net photosynthetic rate increased by more than 100 %. Although the concentration of total non-structural saccharides was substantially higher in the leaves from the greenhouse with EC, ΦPS2 (quantum efficiency of radiation use) around noon was not significantly reduced at EC indicating that there was no down-regulation of electron transport. Moreover, CO2 enrichment did not cause any increase in the risk of photo-damage, as estimated by the 1 - qP parameter. Non-photochemical quenching was even higher in the greenhouse with EC during the two summer flushes, when temperature and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) were the highest. Hence rose photosynthesis benefits strongly from high concentrations of atmospheric CO2 at both high and moderate temperatures and PPFD. and L. Urban ... [et al.].
The use of Jatropha curcas oil as a source of biofuel has been well-explored. However, the physiological and growth studies of J. curcas have received considerably lesser attention. In this study, leaf gas exchange measurements and leaf nitrogen content were determined for four varieties of J. curcas, grown in the field or in pots. Based on stable carbon isotope analysis (δ13C) and
gas-exchange studies, J. curcas is a C3 sun plant and the range of leaf photosynthetic rates (or CO2 assimilation rates, PNmax) were typically between 7 and 25 μmol(CO2) m-2 s-1 and light saturation generally occurred beyond 800 μmol(quanta) m-2 s-1. Higher rates of leaf photosynthesis were generally obtained with the mature leaves. In addition, increased foliar PNmax were recorded in potted J. curcas variety Indiana with increasing nitrogen (N) nutrition levels. These plants also showed greater growth, increased leaf N content, higher maximum CO2 assimilation capacity (PNhighCO2) and chlorophyll (Chl) content, indicating the potential of optimizing the growth of Jatropha by varying fertilizer nutrient levels. A rapid assessment for leaf N using a nondestructive and portable Chl meter had been established for J. curcas. This approach will allow repeated sampling of the same plant over time and thus enable the monitoring of the appropriate levels of soil fertility to achieve good Jatropha plantation productivity. High N nutrition improved the overall plant oil yield by increasing the total number of fruits/seeds produced per plant, while not affecting the intrinsic seed oil content. and J. W. H. Yong ... [et al.].