Biologia plantarum 2011, 55:361-364 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-011-0055-1

Characteristics of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence in red and green leaves of Begonia semperflorens

K. M. Zhang1, X. M. Wang1, J. X. Cui1, J. O. Ogweno1, K. Shi1, Y. H. Zhou1,*, J. Q. Yu1,2
1 Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China
2 Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plants Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Agricultural Ministry of China, Hangzhou, P.R. China

To determine the effects of leaf colour on gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence, two genotypes of Begonia semperflorens with green leaves or red leaves were compared. The red leaves showed a high accumulation of anthocyanins and high absorbance at 282 and 537 nm while the green leaves exhibited a higher net photosynthetic rate and lower thermal dissipation of light energy. It seems likely that anthocyanins in the vacuoles restricted the absorption of green light to the chloroplasts, leading to a decrease in the efficiency of excitation capture by open PS 2 centres, photochemical quenching and CO2 assimilation.

Keywords: anthocyanins; net photosynthetic rate; non-photochemical quenching; photochemical quenching; Rubisco

Received: August 13, 2009; Accepted: April 21, 2010; Published: June 1, 2011Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Zhang, K.M., Wang, X.M., Cui, J.X., Ogweno, J.O., Shi, K., Zhou, Y.H., & Yu, J.Q. (2011). Characteristics of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence in red and green leaves of Begonia semperflorens. Biologia plantarum, 55(2), 361-364. doi: 10.1007/s10535-011-0055-1.
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)

    • Open full article

    References

    1. Arnon, D.I.: Copper enzymes in isolates chloroplasts: polyphenoloxidases in Beta vulgaris. - Plant Physiol. 24: 1-15, 1949. Go to original source...
    2. Cai, Y.F., Zhang, S.B., Hu, H., Li, S.Y.: Photosynthetic performance and acclimation of Incarvillea delavayi to water stress. - Biol. Plant. 54: 89-96, 2010. Go to original source...
    3. Chowdhury, S.R., Kumar, A., Sahoo, N.: Diurnal changes in chlorophyll fluorescence and light utilization in Colocasia esculenta leaves grown in marshy waterlogged area. - Biol. Plant. 53: 167-170, 2009. Go to original source...
    4. Close, D.C., Beadle, C.L., Battaglia, M.: Foliar anthocyanin accumulation may be a useful indicator of hardiness in eucalypt seedlings. - Forest Ecol. Manage. 198: 169-181, 2004. Go to original source...
    5. Ethier, G.J., Livingston, N.J.: On the need to incorporate sensitivity to CO2 transfer conductance into the Farquhar-Von Caemmerer-Berry leaf photosynthesis model. - Plant Cell Environ. 27: 137-153, 2004. Go to original source...
    6. Gould, K.S., Neil, S.O., Vogelmann, T.C.: A unified explanation for anthocyanins in leaves? - Adv. bot. Res. 37: 167-192, 2002. Go to original source...
    7. Harley, P.C., Loreto, F., Marco, G.D., Sharkey, T.D.: Theoretical considerations when estimating the mesophyll conductance to CO2 flux by analysis of the response of photosynthesis to CO2. - Plant Physiol. 98: 1429-1436, 1992. Go to original source...
    8. Hendrickson, L., Furbank, R.T., Chow, W.S.: A simple alternative approach to assessing the fate of absorbed light energy using chlorophyll fluorescence. - Photosynth. Res. 82: 73-81, 2004. Go to original source...
    9. Hughes, N.M., Morley, C.B., Smith, W.K.: Coordination of anthocyanin decline and photosynthetic maturation in juvenile leaves of three deciduous tree species. - New Phytol. 175: 675-685, 2007. Go to original source...
    10. Hughes, N.M., Smith, W.K.: Seasonal photosynthesis and anthocyanin production in 10 broad leaf evergreen species. - Funct. Plant Biol. 34: 1072-7079, 2007. Go to original source...
    11. Karageorgou, P., Manetas, Y.: The importance of being red when young: anthocyanins and the protection of young leaves of Quercus coccifera from insect herbivory and excess light. - Tree Physiol. 26: 613-621, 2006. Go to original source...
    12. Krol, M., Gray, G.R., Hurry, V.M., Öquist, G., Malek, L., Huner, N.P.A.: Low-temperature stress and photoperiod affect an increases tolerance to photoinhibition in Pinus banksiana seedlings. - Can. J. Bot. 73: 1119-1127, 1995. Go to original source...
    13. Lev-Yadun, S., Gould, K.S.: What do red and yellow autumn leaves signal. - Bot. Rev. 73: 279-289, 2007. Go to original source...
    14. Manetas, Y.: Why some leaves are anthocyanic and why most anthocyanic leaves are red? - Flora 201: 163-177, 2006. Go to original source...
    15. Merzlyak, M.N., Melo, T.B., Naqvi, K.R.: Effect of anthocyanins, carotenoids, and flavonols on chlorophyll fluorescence excitation spectra in apple fruit: signature analysis, assessment, modelling, and relevance to photoprotection. - J. exp. Bot. 59: 349-359, 2008. Go to original source...
    16. Murray, J.R., Hackett, W.P.: Hydroflavonol reductase activity in relation to differential anthocyanin accumulation in juvenile and mature phase Hedera helix L. - Plant Physiol. 97: 343-351, 1991 Go to original source...
    17. Neill, S.O., Gould, K.S.: Optical properties of leaves in relation to anthocyanin concentration and distribution. - Can. J. Bot. 77: 1777-1782, 1999. Go to original source...
    18. Neill, S.O., Gould, K.S.: Anthocyanins in leaves: light attenuators or antioxidants? - Funct. Plant Biol. 30: 865-873, 2003. Go to original source...
    19. Nishio, J.N.: Why are higher plants green? Evolution of the higher plant photosynthetic pigment complement. - Plant Cell Environ. 23: 539-548, 2000. Go to original source...
    20. Peng, M., Hannam, C., Gu, H., Bi, Y.M., Rothstein, S.J.: Adaptation of Arabidopsis to nitrogen limitation involves induction of anthocyanin synthesis which is controlled by the NLA gene. - J. exp. Bot. 59: 2933-2944, 2008. Go to original source...
    21. Pfündel, E.E., Ben Ghozlen, N., Meyer, S., Cerovic, Z.G.: Investigating UV screening in leaves by two different type of portable UV fluorimeters reveals in vivo screening by anthocyanins and carotenoids. - Photosynth. Res. 93: 205-221, 2007. Go to original source...
    22. Pomar, F., Ros Barceló, A.: Are red leaves photosynthetically active? - Biol. Plant. 51: 799-800, 2007. Go to original source...
    23. Reyes, L.F., Cisneros, Z.L.: Wounding stress increases the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of purple-flesh potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). - J. agr. Food Chem. 51: 5296-5300, 2003. Go to original source...
    24. Shao, L., Shu, Z., Sun, S.L., Peng, C.L., Wang, X.J., Lin, Z.F.: Antioxidation of anthocyanins in photosynthesis under high temperature stress. - J. Integr. Plant Biol. 49: 1341-1351, 2007. Go to original source...
    25. Terashima, I., Fujita, T., Inoue, T., Chow, W.S., Oguchi, R.: Green light drives leaf photosynthesis more efficiently than red light in strong white light: revisiting the enigmatic question of why leaves are green. - Plant Cell Physiol. 50: 684-697, 2009. Go to original source...
    26. Van Kooten, O., Snel, J.F.H.: The use of chlorophyll fluorescence nomenclature in plant stress physiology. - Photosynth. Res. 25: 147-150, 1990. Go to original source...
    27. Xia, X.J., Wang, Y.J., Zhou, Y.H., Tao, Y., Mao, W.H., Shi, K., Asami, T., Chen, Z.X., Yu, J.Q.: Reactive oxygen species are involved in brassinosteroid-induced stress tolerance in cucumber. - Plant Physiol. 150: 801-814, 2009. Go to original source...
    28. Zhang, L.L., Wen, D.Z., Fu, S.L.: Responses of photosynthetic parameters of Mikania micrantha and Chromolaena odorata to contrasting irradiance and soil moisture. - Biol. Plant. 53: 517-522, 2009. Go to original source...
    29. Zhou, Y.H., Zhou, J., Huang, L.F., Ding, X.T., Shi, K., Yu, J.Q.: Grafting of Cucumis sativus onto Cucurbita ficifolia leads to improved plant growth, increased light utilization and reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species in chilled plants. - J. Plant Res. 122: 529-540, 2009. Go to original source...

    Return to the content