Effect of high irradiance and high temperature on chloroplast composition and structure of Dioscorea zingiberensis

F. Y. Liao, H. M. Li, P. He

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):487-492 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0002-5

High irradiance (HI) and high temperature (HT) increased in chloroplasts the content of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and decreased the contents of digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), and phosphatidylinositol (PI). HI and HT accelerated the transformation of DGDG to MGDG. The contents of unsaturated fatty acids in chloroplasts increased, while those of saturated fatty acids decreased. The contents of total carotenoids, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, and β-carotene increased first, then decreased. The content of chlorophyll decreased. HI caused the unfolding of thylakoids that was not resumed after...

Photosynthetic and morphological functional types from different steppe communities in Inner Mongolia, North China

R. Z. Wang

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):493-503 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0003-4

Morphological functional types and photosynthetic pathway types were identified for the forage species from steppe communities in Inner Mongolia, China, using the data of both field survey and published papers. Seven typical steppe communities were selected to investigate the morphological functional type and photosynthetic pathway type compositions and plant functional type (PFT) diversity in steppe communities at regional scale. Morphological functional types, based on plant height and leaf type combined with life span, were optimal for comparing the community differences in the region, while photosynthetic pathway types were fairly coarse for such...

Book review

L. Nedbal

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):504 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0004-3

Changes of photosynthetic parameters in cucumber leaves under Cu, Cd, and Pb stress

M. Burzyński, G. Kłobus

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):505-510 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0005-2

The effects of Cu, Cd, and Pb toxicity on photosynthesis in cucumber leaves (Cucumis sativus L.) were studied by the measurements of gas exchange characteristics, chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters, and Chl content. Concentrations of metals in sequence of 20 μM Cu, 20 and 50 μM Cd, and 1 000 μM Pb decreased the plant dry mass to 50-60 % after 10 d of treatment whereas 50 μM of Cu decreased it to 30 %. The content of Cd in leaves of plants treated with 50 μM Cd was three times higher than the contents of Cu and Pb after plant treatment with 50 μM Cu or 1 000 μM Pb. Hence Cd was transported to leaves much better than...

Plant functional types and their ecological responses to salinization in saline grasslands, Northeastern China

R.Z. Wang

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):511-519 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0006-1

Photosynthetic pathways (C₃, C₄, and CAM) and morphological functional types (e.g. shrubs, high perennial grasses, short perennial graminaceous plants, annual grasses, annual forbs, perennial forbs, halophytes, and hydrophytes) were identified for the species from salinity grasslands in Northeastern China, using the data from both stable carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) and from the references published between 1993 and 2002. 150 species, in 99 genera and 37 families, were found with C₃ photosynthesis, and most of these species are dominants [e.g. Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel., Calamagrostis...

Book review

O. Prášil

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):520 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0007-0

Structural reorganization of thylakoid systems in response to heat treatment

G. A. Semenova

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):521-527 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0008-z

The structural reorganization of pea thylakoid systems in response to osmotic shock in a wide range of temperatures (36-70°C) was studied. At temperatures 40-46°C, the configuration of thylakoid systems changed from a flattened to a nearly round, whereas thylakoids themselves remained compressed. The percentage of thylakoids stacked into grana at 44°C decreased from 71 % in the control to 40 % in experimental samples, reaching 59 % at 48°C. At 44°C and above, thylakoid systems ceased to respond to the osmotic shock by disordering, in contrast to what happened at lower temperatures (36-43°C) and in the control, and retained the configuration inherent...

Gas exchanges of an endangered species Syringa pinnatifolia and a widespread congener S. oblata

H. X. Cui, G. M. Jiang, S. L. Niu, Y. G. Li, C. D. Jiang, M. Z. Liu, L. M. Gao

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):529-534 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0009-y

Net photosynthetic rate (P_N), transpiration rate (E), water use efficiency (WUE), stomatal conductance (g_s), and stomatal limitation (L_s) were investigated in two Syringa species. The saturation irradiance (SI) was 400 µmol m^-2s^-1 for S. pinnatifolia and 1 700 µmol m^-2s^-1 for S. oblata. Compared with S. oblata, S. pinnatifolia had extremely low g _s . Unlike S. oblata, the maximal photosynthetic rate (P_max) in S. pinnatifoliaoccurred around 08:00 and...

Influence of phosphorus and nitrogen on photosynthetic parameters and growth in Vicia faba L.

Y. Jia, V. M. Gray

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):535-542 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0010-5

The influence of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) supply on biomass, leaf area, photon saturated photosynthetic rate (P_max), quantum yield efficiency (α), intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i), and carboxylation efficiency (CE) was investigated in Vicia faba. The influence of P on N accumulation, biomass, and leaf area production was also investigated. An increase in P supply was consistently associated with an increase in N accumulation and N productivity in terms of biomass and leaf area production. Furthermore, P increased the photosynthetic N use efficiency (NUE) in terms of P_max...

Salt-induced changes in photosynthetic activity and growth in a potential medicinal plant Bishop's weed (Ammi majus L.)

M. Ashraf, N. Mukhtar, S. Rehman, E. S. Rha

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):543-550 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0011-4

Sixty seven-days-old plants of Ammi majus L. were subjected for 46 d to sand culture at varying concentrations of NaCl, i.e. 0 (control), 40, 80, 120, and 160 mM. Increasing salt concentrations caused a significant reduction in fresh and dry masses of both shoots and roots as well as seed yield. However, the adverse effect of salt was more pronounced on seed yield than biomass production at the vegetative stage. Calculated 50 % reduction in shoot dry mass occurred at 156 mM (ca.15.6 mS cm^-1), whereas that in seed yield was at 104 mM (ca.10.4 mS cm^-1). As in most glycophytes, Na⁺ and Cl^-...

Adaptive photosynthetic strategies of the Mediterranean maquis species according to their origin

L. Gratani, L. Varone

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):551-558 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0012-3

In consideration of their origin the adaptive strategies of the evergreen species of the Mediterranean maquis were analysed. Rosmarinus officinalis L., Erica arborea L., and Erica multiflora L. had the lowest net photosynthetic rate (P_N) in the favourable period [7.8±0.6 μmol(CO₂) m^-2s^-1, mean value], the highest P_N decrease (on an average 86 % of the maximum) but the highest recovery capacity (>70 % of the maximum) at the first rainfall in September. Cistus incanus L. and Arbutus unedo L. had the highest P_N during...

Effect of drought on ear and flag leaf photosynthesis of two wheat cultivars differing in drought resistance

T. Inoue, S. Inanaga, Y. Sugimoto, P. An, A. E. Eneji

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):559-565 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0013-2

We investigated net photosynthetic rate (P_N) 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 P_Nof ear and flag leaf were significantly higher and less affected by drought in Hongmangmai than in Haruhikari. The rate of reduction in stomatal conductance (g_s) was similar for the two cultivars, but intercellular CO₂concentration (C_i) in the flag leaf of Hongmangmai was lower than that of Haruhikari in non-irrigated...

Cotton genotypic variation in the photosynthetic response to irradiance

W. T. Pettigrew

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):567-571 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0014-1

The photosynthetic response of 8 cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes to changing irradiance was investigated under field conditions during the 1998 through 2000 growing seasons. Equations developed to describe the response of net photosynthetic rate (P_N) to photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) demonstrated that, across all irradiances, the two okra leaf-type genotypes photosynthesized at a greater rate per unit leaf area than all of the six normal leaf-type genotypes. This superior photosynthetic performance of the okra leaf-type genotypes can be partially explained by their 13 % greater leaf chlorophyll content relative...

Effects of drought on photosynthetic characteristics of flag leaves of a newly-developed super-high-yield rice hybrid

G. X. Chen, S. H. Liu, C. J. Zhang, C. G. Lu

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):573-578 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0015-0

We investigated responses of chloroplasts from flag leaves of a newly-developed super-high-yield rice (Oryza sativa L.) hybrid LiangYouPeiJiu (LYPJ) to water stress (withholding irrigation) during the grain-filling period. In the early stage of water stress (0-6 d) only the activity of Hill reaction was inhibited, whereas activities of photophosphorylation and Ca²⁺-ATPase, and ATP content were increased and peaked in the day 6 of withholding irrigation. In the late stage of water stress (6-12 d), the activities of photosynthetic O₂ evolution, Hill reaction, photophosphorylation, and Ca²⁺- ATPase, and ATP content...

A versatile chamber for simultaneous measurements of oxygen exchange and fluorescence in filamentous and thallous algae as well as higher plants

H. Küpper, I. Šetlík, M. Hlásek

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):579-583 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0016-z

A new chamber was developed for a simultaneous measurement of fluorescence kinetics and oxygen exchange in filamentous and thallous algae as well as in small leaves of water plants. Algal filaments or thalli are kept by a stainless grid close to the bottom window of the chamber in the sample compartment. The grid separates the object from the electrode compartment with the oxygen electrode at the top. This compartment accommodates, in addition, a magnetic stirrer that provides efficient circulation of the medium between the sample and the electrode. This magnetic bar spins on a fixed axis and is driven by an electronically commutated magnetic field...

Physiological responses of black willow (Salix nigra) cuttings to a range of soil moisture regimes

S. Li, S. R. Pezeshki, S. Goodwin, F. D. Shields Jr.

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):585-590 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0017-y

We quantified the physiological responses of black willow to four soil moisture regimes: no flooding (control, C), continuous flooding (CF), periodic flooding (PF), and periodic drought (PD). Stomatal limitation was one of the factors that led to the reduced photosynthetic capacity in CF cuttings. Under PD, stomatal closure, decreased leaf chlorophyll content, and increased dark fluorescence yield contributed to photosynthetic decline. CF cuttings accumulated the lowest shoot biomass while the final height and root growth were most adversely affected by PD. PF cuttings tended to allocate more photoassimilates to root growth than to shoots.

Carotenoid composition of peridermal twigs does not fully conform to a shade acclimation hypothesis

E. Levizou, Y. Petropoulou, Y. Manetas

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):591-596 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0018-x

The photosynthetic pigments of twigs in five tree and shrub species possessing chlorenchyma under a well developed, stomata-less, and highly photon absorptive periderm were analysed and compared to those of the corresponding canopy leaves. We asked whether the unavoidable shade acclimation of corticular chlorenchyma results in photosynthetic pigment complements typically found in shade leaves. As expected, chlorophyll (Chl) a/b ratios in twigs were consistently low. However, carotenoid (Car) analysis did not confirm the initial hypothesis, since twigs generally contained increased Chl-based pool sizes of the xanthophyll cycle components. The...

Carbon assimilation, nitrogen, and photochemical efficiency of different Himalayan tree species along an altitudinal gradient

M. De Lillis, G. Matteucci, R. Valentini

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):597-605 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0019-9

In the area of Jumla region in Western Nepal, measurements of saturated leaf net photosynthetic rate (P_sat), nitrogen content, leaf fluorescence, carbon isotopic composition, and water status were performed on woody coniferous (Pinus wallichiana, Picea smithiana, Abies spectabilis, Juniperus wallichiana, Taxus baccata), evergreen (Quercus semecarpifolia, Rhododendron campanulatum), and deciduous broadleaved species (Betula utilis, Populus ciliata, Sorbus cuspidata) spreading from 2 400 m up to the treeline at 4 200 m a.s.l. With the exception of J. wallichiana, P_sat values were lower in...

Response of effective quantum yield of photosystem 2 to in situ temperature in three alpine plants

V. Braun, G. Neuner

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):607-613 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0020-3

The response of effective quantum yield of photosystem 2 (ΔF/F_m') to temperature was investigated under field conditions (1 950 m a.s.l.) in three alpine plant species with contrasting leaf temperature climates. The in situ temperature response did not follow an optimum curve but under saturating irradiances [PPFD >800 µìmol(photon) m^-2s^-1] highest ΔF/F_m' occurred at leaf temperatures below 10°C. This was comparable to the temperature response of antarctic vascular plants. Leaf temperatures between 0 and 15°C were the most frequently (41 to 56%) experienced by the investigated...

Effects of salt stress on basic processes of photosynthesis

P. Sudhir, S.D.S. Murthy

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):481-486 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0001-6

Salt stress causes decrease in plant growth and productivity by disrupting physiological processes, especially photosynthesis. The accumulation of intracellular sodium ions at salt stress changes the ratio of K : Na, which seems to affect the bioenergetic processes of photosynthesis. Both multiple inhibitory effects of salt stress on photosynthesis and possible salt stress tolerance mechanisms in cyanobacteria and plants are reviewed.

High temperature induced alterations in energy transfer in phycobilisomes of the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis

S.D.S. Murthy, V. V. Ramanaiah, P. Sudhir

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):615-617 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0021-2

Exposure of intact cells of Spirulina to high temperature (HT) stress (40-60 °C) caused decrease in absorption spectrum and fluorescence emission spectrum. Low temperature emission spectra were altered at phycocyanin (PC) level. Room and low temperature emission spectra of intact phycobilisomes showed that PC was the main target in this cyanobacterium for the altered energy transfer under HT.

Bibliography of reviews and methods of photosynthesis - 88

Z. Šesták, J. Čatský

Photosynthetica 2004, 42(4):619-640 | DOI: 10.1007/S11099-005-0022-1