Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration [CO2] and the change of water distribution in arid and semiarid areas affect plant physiology and ecosystem processes. The interaction of elevated [CO2] and drought results in the complex response such as changes in the energy flux of photosynthesis. The performance of photosystem (PS) II and the electron transport were evaluated by using OJIP induction curves of chlorophyll a fluorescence and the PN-Ci curves in the two-factor controlled experiment with [CO2] of 380 (AC) or 750 (EC) [μmol mol-1] and water stress by 10% polyethylene glycol 6000. Compared to water-stressed maize (Zea mays L.) under AC, the EC treatment combined with water stress decreased the number of active reaction centers but it increased the antenna size and the energy flux (absorbed photon flux, trapping flux, and electron transport flux) of each reaction center in PSII. Thus, the electron transport rate was enhanced, despite the indistinctively changed quantum yield of the electron transport and energy dissipation. The combination of EC and the water-stress treatment resulted in the robust carboxylation rate without elevating the saturated photosynthetic rate (Pmax). This study demonstrated that maize was capable of transporting more electrons into the carboxylation reaction, but this could not be used to increase Pmax under EC., Y. Z. Zong, W. F. Wang, Q. W. Xue, Z. P. Shangguan., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Plants of an Egyptian cultivar of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Giza 63) were exposed in open-top chambers (OTCs) for 8 h d-1 for up to 75 d to a factorial combination of two levels of salinity (0 and 50 mM NaCl) and two levels of O3 (filtered air and 50 mm3 m-3). Exposure to 50 mm3 m-3 O3 significantly decreased stomatal conductance (gs), net photosynthetic rate (PN), and chlorophyll (Chl) content by 20, 25, and 21 %, respectively. This reduction resulted in a change in assimilate allocation in favour of shoot growth leading to a decrease in root to shoot ratio and eventually to a decrease in relative growth rate (RGR) of both root and shoot. There was a very large reduction in yield parameters, especially in the number of ears/plant and 1 000-grain mass. Soil salinity significantly reduced PN and gs by 17 and 15 %, respectively, while Chl content was increased by 17 %. Root growth was decreased leading to an increase in root/shoot ratio. Yield parameters were decreased due to salt stress. There was antagonistic interaction between salinity (50 mM NaCl) and O3 (50 mm3 m-3) showing that salinity effectively protects against the adverse effects of O3 by increasing gs during O3 fumigation.
Field experiments were conducted on four cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to examine the variability in cultivar response to sulphur dioxide (SO2) under different concentrations of mineral nutrients. Thirty-days-old plants were exposed for 8 weeks to 390±20 µg m-3 (0.15 ppm) SO2 for 4 h per day, 5 d per week. Decline in net photosynthetic rate, contents of pigments and nitrogen, biomass and grain yield of each cultivars were due to SO2 at all the nutrient concentrations studied. However, the magnitude of reduction was higher in plants grown without nutrient application. On the basis of the reductions in photosynthesis and yield, the susceptibility of wheat cultivars to SO2 was in the order of Malviya 213 > Malviya 37 > Malviya 206 > Malviya 234 at recommended dose of NPK, whereas the same without the nutrients was Malviya 206 > Malviya 234 > Malviya 213 > Malviya 37. and M. Verma, M. Agrawal, S.S. Deepak.
a1_We compared the interactive effects of temperature and light intensity on growth, photosynthetic performance, and antioxidant enzyme activity in Zizania latifolia Turcz. plants in this study. Plants were grown under field (average air temperature 9.6-25°C and average light intensity 177-375 W m-2) or greenhouse (20-32°C and 106-225 W m-2) conditions from the spring to the early summer. The results indicated that greenhouse-grown plants (GGP) had significantly higher plant height, leaf length, and leaf width, but lower leaf thickness and total shoot mass per cluster compared with field-grown plants (FGP). Tiller emergence was almost completely suppressed in GGP. Significantly higher chlorophyll (Chl) content and lower Chl a/b ratio were observed in GGP than in FGP. From 4 to 8 weeks after treatment (WAT), net photosynthetic rate (PN) was significantly lower in FGP than in GGP. However, from 9 to 12 WAT, PN was lower in GGP, accompanied by a decrease in stomatal conductance (gs) and electron transport rate (ETR) compared with FGP. Suppressed PN in GGP under high temperature combined with low light was also indicated by photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) response curve and its diurnal fluctuation 10 WAT. Meanwhile, ETR in GGP was also lower than in FGP according to the ETR - photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) curve. The results also revealed that GGP had a lower light saturation point (LSP) and a higher light compensation point (LCP). From 4 to 8 WAT, effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (ΦPSII), photochemical quenching (qP), and ETR were slightly lower in FGP than in GGP. The activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were significantly higher from 4 to 8 WAT, but lower from 10 to 12 WAT in FGP., a2_However, catalase (CAT) activity was significantly lower in FGP from 4 to 8 WAT. Our results indicated that the growth and photosynthetic performance of Z. latifolia plants were substantially influenced by temperature, as well as light intensity. This is helpful to understand the physiological basis for a protected cultivation of this crop., N. Yan ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The review sums up research conducted at CIAT within a multidiscipline effort revolving around a strategy for developing improved technologies to increase and sustain cassava productivity, as well as conserving natural resources in the various eco-edaphic zones where the crop is grown, with emphasis on stressful environments. Field research has elucidated several physiological plant mechanisms underlying potentially high productivity under favourable hot-humid environments in the tropics. Most notable is cassava inherent high capacity to assimilate carbon in near optimum environments that correlates with both biological productivity and root yield across a wide range of germplasm grown in diverse environments. Cassava leaves possess elevated activities of the C4 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) that also correlate with leaf net photosynthetic rate (PN) in field-grown plants, indicating the importance of selection for high PN. Under certain conditions such leaves exhibit an interesting photosynthetic C3-C4 intermediate behaviour which may have important implications in future selection efforts. In addition to leaf PN, yield is correlated with seasonal mean leaf area index (i.e. leaf area duration, LAD). Under prolonged water shortages in seasonally dry and semiarid zones, the crop, once established, tolerates stress and produces reasonably well compared to other food crops (e.g. in semiarid environments with less than 700 mm of annual rain, improved cultivars can yield over 3 t ha-1 oven-dried storage roots). The underlying mechanisms for such tolerance include stomatal sensitivity to atmospheric and edaphic water deficits, coupled with deep rooting capacities that prevent severe leaf dehydration, i.e. stress avoidance mechanisms, and reduced leaf canopy with reasonable photosynthesis over the leaf life span. Another stress-mitigating plant trait is the capacity to recover from stress, once water is available, by forming new leaves with even higher PN, compared to those in nonstressed crops. Under extended stress, reductions are larger in shoot biomass than in storage root, resulting in higher harvest indices. Cassava conserves water by slowly depleting available water from deep soil layers, leading to higher seasonal crop water-use and nutrient-use efficiencies. In dry environments LAD and resistance to pests and diseases are critical for sustainable yields. In semiarid zones the crop survives but requires a second wet cycle to achieve high yields and high dry matter contents in storage roots. Selection and breeding for early bulking and for medium/short-stemmed cultivars is advantageous under semiarid conditions. When grown in cooler zones such and as in tropical high altitudes and in low-land sub-tropics, leaf PN is greatly reduced and growth is slower. Thus, the crop requires longer period for a reasonable productivity. There is a need to select and breed for more cold-tolerant genotypes. Selection of parental materials for tolerance to water stress and infertile soils has resulted in breeding improved germplasm adapted to both favourable and stressful environments.
Variability in leaf gas-exchange traits in thirteen soybean (Glycine max L. Merr) genotypes was assessed in a field experiment conducted at high altitude (1 950 m). Leaf net photosynthetic rate (PN) exhibited a high degree of variability at all the growth stages studied. PN and other gas-exchange parameters exhibited a seasonal pattern that was similar for all the genotypes. PN rate was highest at seed filling stage. PN was positively and significantly associated with aboveground dry matter and seed yield. The area leaf mass (ALM) exhibited a strong positive association with leaf PN, aboveground dry matter, and seed yield. The positive association between ALM, PN, and seed yield suggests that this simple and easy to measure character can be used in breeding programmes as a surrogate for higher photosynthetic efficiency and eventually higher yield.
We determined for Vicia faba L the influence of nitrogen uptake and accumulation on the values of photon saturated net photosynthetic rate (PNmax), quantum yield efficiency (α), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and carboxylation efficiency (Ce). As leaf nitrogen content (NL) increased, the α converged onto a maximum asymptotic value of 0.0664±0.0049 μmol(CO2) μmol(quantum)-1. Also, as NL increased the Ci value fell to an asymptotic minimum of 115.80±1.59 μmol mol-1, and Ce converged onto a maximum asymptotic value of 1.645±0.054 μmol(CO2) m-2 s-1 Pa-1 and declined to zero at a NL-intercept equal to 0.596±0.096 g(N) m-2. α fell to zero for an NL-intercept of 0.660±0.052 g(N) m-2. As NL increased, the value of PNmax converged onto a maximum asymptotic value of 33.400±2.563 μmol(CO2) m-2 s-1. PN fell to zero for an NL-intercept of 0.710±0.035 g(N) m-2. Under variable daily meteorological conditions the values for NL, specific leaf area (δL), root mass fraction (Rf), PNmax, and α remained constant for a given N supply. A monotonic decline in the steady-state value of Rf occurred with increasing N supply. δL increased with increasing N supply or with increasing NL. and Yinsuo Jia, V. M. Gray.
Climate change impacts environmental conditions that affect photosynthesis. This review examines the effect of combinations of elevated atmospheric CO2, long photoperiods, and/or unfavorable nitrogen supply. Under moderate stress, perturbed plant source-sink ratio and redox state can be rebalanced but may result in reduced foliar protein content in C3 plants and a higher carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of plant biomass. More severe environmental conditions can trigger pronounced photosynthetic downregulation and impair growth. We comprehensively evaluate available evidence that microbial partners may be able to support plant productivity under challenging environmental conditions by providing (1) nutrients, (2) an additional carbohydrate sink, and (3) regulators of plant metabolism, especially plant redox state. In evaluating the latter mechanism, we note parallels to metabolic control in photosymbioses and microbial regulation of human redox biology.
Leaf gas exchange and plant water relations of three co-occurring evergreen Mediterranean shrubs species, Quercus ilex L. and Phillyrea latifolia L. (typical evergreen sclerophyllous shrubs) and Cistus incanus L. (a drought semi-deciduous shrub), were investigated in order to evaluate possible differences in their adaptive strategies, in particular with respect to drought stress. C. incanus showed the highest annual rate of net photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs) decreasing by 67 and 69 %, respectively, in summer. P. latifolia and Q. ilex showed lower annual maximum PN and gs, although PN was less lowered in summer (40 and 37 %, respectively). P. latifolia reached the lowest midday leaf water potential (Ψ1) during the drought period (-3.54±0.36 MPa), 11 % lower than in C. incanus and 19 % lower than in Q. ilex. Leaf relative water content (RWC) showed the same trend as Ψ1. C. incanus showed the lowest RWC values during the drought period (60 %) while they were never below 76 % in P. latifolia and Q. ilex; moreover C. incanus showed the lowest recovery of Ψ1 at sunset. Hence the studied species are well adapted to the prevailing environment in Mediterranean climate areas, but they show different adaptive strategies that may be useful for their co-occurrence in the same habitat. However, Q. ilex and P. latifolia by their water use strategy seem to be less sensitive to drought stress than C. incanus. and A. Bombelli, L. Gratani.
A controlled growth chamber experiment was conducted to investigate the short-term water use and photosynthetic responses of 30-d-old carrot seedlings to the combined effects of CO2 concentration (50-1 050 µmol mol-1) and moisture deficits (-5, -30, -55, and -70 kPa). The photosynthetic response data was fitted to a non-rectangular hyperbola model. The estimated parameters were compared for effects of moisture deficit and elevated CO2 concentration (EC). The carboxylation efficiency (α) increased in response to mild moisture stress (-30 kPa) under EC when compared to the unstressed control. However, moderate (-55 kPa) and extreme (-70 kPa) moisture deficits reduced α under EC. Maximum net photosynthetic rate (PNmax) did not differ between mild water deficit and unstressed controls under EC. Moderate and extreme moisture deficits reduced PNmax by nearly 85 % compared to controls. Dark respiration rate (RD) showed no consistent response to moisture deficit. The CO2 compensation concentration (Γ) was 324 µmol mol-1 for -75 kPa and ranged 63-93 µmol mol-1 for other moisture regimes. Interaction between moisture deficit and EC was noticed for PN, ratio of intercellular and ambient CO2 concentration (Ci/Ca), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E). PN was maximum and Ci/Ca was minimum at -30 kPa moisture deficit and at C a of 350 µmol mol-1. The gs and E showed an inverse relationship at all moisture deficit regimes and EC. Water use efficiency (WUE) increased with moisture deficit up to -55 kPa and declined thereafter. EC showed a positive influence towards sustaining PN and increasing WUE only under mild moisture stress, and no beneficial effects of EC were noticed at moderate or extreme moisture deficits. and A. Thiagarajan, R. R. Lada.