Book Review

Z. Sestak

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):344 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0057-3

Book Review

Z. Sestak

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):354 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0059-1

Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging of photosynthetic activity with the flash-lamp fluorescence imaging system

H. K. Lichtenthaler, G. Langsdorf, S. Lenk, C. Buschmann

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):355-369 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0060-8

A flash-lamp chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence imaging system (FL-FIS) is described that allows to screen and image the photosynthetic activity of several thousand leaf points (pixels) of intact leaves in a non-destructive way within a few seconds. This includes also the registration of several thousand leaf point images of the four natural fluorescence bands of plants in the blue (440 nm) and green (520 nm) regions as well as the red (near 690 nm) and far-red (near 740 nm) Chl fluorescence. The latest components of this Karlsruhe FL-FIS are presented as well as its advantage as compared to the classical single leaf point measurements where only the fluorescence...

UV-A screening in plants determined using a new portable fluorimeter

C. A. Kolb, U. Schreiber, R. Gademann, E. E. Pfundel

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):371-377 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0061-7

UV screening by plant surfaces can be determined by exposing plant organs to UV radiation and measuring the chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence elicited. From this fluorescence, the UV transmittance can be derived: the more intense the screening the lower the reporter Chl fluorescence and the lower the UV transmittance. The relationships between UV screening at 375 nm, as determined in the field by a portable UV-A-PAM fluorimeter, and UV screening at 314 and 360 nm, measured in the laboratory with the non-portable XE-PAM fluorimeter, were investigated in leaves of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Bacchus) and barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Ricarda),...

How to correctly determine the different chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and the chlorophyll fluorescence decrease ratio R_Fd of leaves with the PAM fluorometer

H. K. Lichtenthaler, C. Buschmann, M. Knapp

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):379-393 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0062-6

This contribution is a practical guide to the measurement of the different chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters and gives examples of their development under high-irradiance stress. From the Chl fluorescence induction kinetics upon irradiation of dark-adapted leaves, measured with the PAM fluorometer, various Chl fluorescence parameters, ratios, and quenching coefficients can be determined, which provide information on the functionality of the photosystem 2 (PS2) and the photosynthetic apparatus. These are the parameters F_v, F_m, F₀, F_m', F_v', NF, and ΔF, the Chl fluorescence ratios F_v/F_m,...

Diurnal course of photochemical activity of winter-adapted Scots pine at subzero temperatures

P. Siffel, J. Santrucek

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):395-402 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0063-5

The photochemical activity of native Central Siberian Scots pine trees (Pinus sylvestris L) was estimated from the middle of February to the middle of March 2001. We measured chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence in attached intact needles from trees located approx. 30 km west of the Yenisey river (60°44'N, 89°09'E) near the village of Zotino. In this period, the air temperature varied between -39 °C and +7 °C. At temperatures below -10 °C, P. sylvestris needles did not exhibit any variable Chl fluorescence during the daylight period. During the night, however, the effective quantum yield of photosystem 2 (PS2) photochemistry, Φ₂...

Plant shading increases lipid peroxidation and intensifies senescence-induced changes in photosynthesis and activities of ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase in wheat

M. Spundova, K. Sloukova, M. Hunkova, J. Naus

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):403-409 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0064-4

Plants of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Saxana) were grown during the autumn. Over the growth phase of three leaves (37 d after sowing), some of the plants were shaded and the plants were grown at 100 (control without shading), 70, and 40 % photosynthetically active radiation. Over 12 d, chlorophyll (Chl) and total protein (TP) contents, rate of CO₂ assimilation (P_N), maximal efficiency of photosystem 2 photochemistry (F_V/F_P), level of lipid peroxidation, and activities of antioxidative enzymes ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) were followed in the 1_st,...

The mechanism of the ozone-induced changes in thermoluminescence glow curves of barley leaves

J. Skotnica, M. Gilbert, I. Weingart, C. Wilhelm

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):425-434 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0068-0

The changes in thermoluminescence (TL) signals induced by short-term ozone exposure of leaves are characterized by a down-shift of the peak-temperature of the TLB-band and an increase of a TL band at 55°C. We investigated the relationship of these changes to photosystem 2 (PS2) photochemistry. The changes were not only detectable in the presence of ozone, but also after irradiation of dark-adapted leaves and after aging of irradiated detached leaf segments. The opposite effect on TL, an up-shift of the peak-temperature of the B-band and the decrease of the intensity of the band at 55°C were found after infiltration of leaves with nigericin, antimycin...

Seed yield of soybeans with daytime or continuous elevation of carbon dioxide under field conditions

J. A. Bunce

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):435-438 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0069-z

Some studies of responses of plants to elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide (EC) added CO₂ only in the daytime, while others supplied CO₂ continuously. I tested whether these two methods of EC treatments produced differences in the seed yield of soybeans. Tests were conducted for four growing seasons, using open top chambers, with soybeans rooted in the ground in field plots. One third of the chambers were flushed with air at the current ambient [CO₂] (AC), one third had [CO₂] 350 µmol mol^-1 above ambient during the daytime (EC_d), while one third had [CO₂] 350 µmol...

Estimating heat tolerance among plant species by two chlorophyll fluorescence parameters

J. H. Weng, M. F. Lai

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):439-444 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0070-6

The heat tolerance of 8 temperate- and 1 subtropical-origin C₃ species as well as 17 tropical-origin ones, including C₃, C₄, and CAM species, was estimated using both F₀-T curve and the ratio of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, prior to and after high temperature treatment. When leaves were heated at the rate of ca. 1 °C min^-1 in darkness, the critical temperature (T_c) varied extensively among species. The T_c's of all 8 temperate-origin species ranged between 40-46 °C in winter (mean temperature 16-19 °C), and between 32-48 °C in summer (mean temperature ca....

Photosynthetic response and stomatal behaviour of Pinus koraiensis during the fourth year of exposure to elevated CO₂ concentration

Y. M. Zhou, S. J. Han

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):445-449 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0071-5

4-year-old Pinus koraiensis, planted in open-top chambers at Changbai Mountain Station, received three different treatments [700 µmol(CO₂) mol^-1 = EC, control chamber = CC, and field = F]. Saturated net photosynthetic rate (P_N) was 62 % higher in EC plants compared to CC and F plants as shown by PAR/P_N response curves. Despite the increased P_N, EC plants still showed decreased photosynthetic capacity when compared with CC and F plants at the same measurement CO₂ concentration. EC plants had the highest stomatal conductance (g_s) and...

The effect of additional red irradiation on the photosynthetic apparatus of Pisum sativum

N. M. Topchiy, S. K. Sytnik, O. O. Syvash, O. K. Zolotareva

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):451-456 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0072-4

Pisum sativum (L.) plants were grown under "white" luminescent lamps, W [45 µ mol(quantum) m^-2 s^-1] or under the same irradiation supplemented with narrow spectrum red light-emitting diodes (LEDs), RE [λ_max = 660 nm, Δλ = 20 nm, 40 µmol(quantum) m^-2 s^-1]. Significant differences in the chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence parameters, degree of State 1-State 2 transition, and the pigment-protein contents were found in plants grown under differing spectral composition. Addition of red LEDs to the "white light" resulted in higher effective quantum yield of...

Photosynthetic responses of radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) plants to infection by turnip mosaic virus

Y. P. Guo, D. P. Guo, Y. Peng, J. S. Chen

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):457-462 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0073-3

Plant growth, chlorophyll (Chl) content, photosynthetic gas exchange, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCO) enzyme activity, and Chl fluorescence in radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) plants were examined after turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) infection. Plant fresh mass, dry mass, Chl content, net photosynthetic rate (P_N), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (g_s), and RuBPCO activity were significantly lower in infected plants after 5 weeks of virus infection as compared to healthy plants. The 5-week virus infection did not induce significant differences in intercellular...

Pavel Siffel (1954-2003) or Life full of chlorophyll

J. Kveton, M. Durchan, K. Rohacek, J. Santrucek, F. Vacha, Z. Sestak

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):323-328 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0055-5

Life and research results of Pavel Siffel, a talented but untimely deceased Czech scientist in photosynthesis, are reviewed. He studied biophysics and physiology of chlorophyll, its complexes with proteins, their absorption and fluorescence spectra, activities in mutants and transformants, dealt with chlorophyll biosynthesis and protochlorophyllide photoreduction, pigments in plants grown at CO₂ deficiency and under simulated acid rain, with changes accompanying leaf and plant development, photobleaching, etc. He participated in construction of specialised spectrofluorometers, finally he built the kinetic spectrophotometer SpeKin.

Protochlorophyllide reduction - what is new in 2005?

B. Schoefs

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):329-343 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0056-4

Because the transformation of protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) to chlorophyllide (Chlide) is an irradiation-dependent process, it is at the heart of the photosynthetic membrane biogenesis, turnover, and adaptation to changes of the environment. I review here the new data published during the year 2004 on Pchlide reduction to Chlide.

Photosynthetic organisms and excess of metals

M. Bertrand, I. Poirier

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):345-353 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0058-2

When cells get metals in small excess, mechanisms of avoidance occur, such as exclusion, sequestration, or compartmentation. When the excess reaches sub-lethal concentrations, the oxidative stress, that toxic metals trigger, leads to persistent active oxygen species. Biomolecules are then destroyed and metabolism is highly disturbed. At the chloroplast level, changes in pigment content and lipid peroxidation are observed. The disorganized thylakoids impair the photosynthetic efficiency. The Calvin cycle is also less efficient and the photosynthetic organism grows slowly. When an essential metal is given together with a harmful one, the damages are...

My friend Pavel Siffel

Nikolai N. Lebedev

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):322 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0054-6

Effects of different excitation and detection spectral regions on room temperature chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters

M. Stroch, J. Podolinska, M. Navratil, V. Spunda

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):411-416 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0065-3

The effects of different spectral region of excitation and detection of chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence at room temperature on the estimation of excitation energy utilization within photosystem (PS) 2 were studied in wild-type barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Bonus) and its Chl b-less mutant chlorina f2 grown under low and high irradiances [100 and 1 000 µmol(photon) m^-2 s^-1]. Three measuring spectral regimes were applied using a PAM 101 fluorometer: (1) excitation in the red region (maximum at the wavelength of 649 nm) and detection in the far-red region beyond 710 nm, (2)...

Force field development on pigments of photosystem 2 reaction centre

P. Palencar, F. Vacha, M. Kuty

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):417-420 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0066-2

We developed new parameters for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, namely partial atomic charges, equilibrium bond-lengths, angles, dihedrals, atom types, and force constants of chlorophyll a (Chl) and plastoquinone (PQ), and both reduced and neutral form of primary acceptor (PHO) molecule. These parameters are essential for MD simulations that can interpret various structure functional relationships during primary processes of charge separation and stabilization in photosystem 2 reaction centres.

Secondary structure estimation of recombinant psbH, encoding a photosynthetic membrane protein of cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

D. Stys, W. Schoefberger, Z. Halbhuber, J. Ristvejova, N. Muller, R. Ettrich

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):421-424 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0067-1

The PsbH protein of cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione-S transferase (GST) in E. coli grown on a mineral medium enriched in ¹⁵N isotope. After enzymatic cleavage of the fusion protein, the ¹H-¹⁵N-HSQC spectrum of PsbH protein in presence of the detergent β-D-octyl-glucopyranoside (OG) was recorded on a Bruker DRX 500 MHz NMR spectrometer equipped with a 5 mm TXI cryoprobe to enhance the sensitivity and resolution. Non-labelled protein was used for secondary structure estimation by deconvolution from circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Experimental...

Effects of microenvironment on net photosynthetic rate and growth of four tropical species in the La Mesa watershed

S. Y. Woo, D. K. Lee, Y. K. Lee

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):463-466 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0074-2

Seedlings of four tree species (Bischofia javanica, Dracontomelon dao, Erythrina orientalis, and Pterocarpus indicus) were planted in flat and sloping grassland in plantation sites established in May 2002 in the La Mesa watershed, Philippines. Tree growth and net photosynthetic rate (P_N) were monitored. The height, diameter at the root collar, and P_N of the four species grown in the sloping grass site were larger than those of seedlings grown in the flat grass site. In addition, soil moisture contents in the sloping grass site were higher than those of the flat grass site. Growth of the four species...

Responses of dominant desert species Artemisia ordosica and Salix psammophila to water stress

C. W. Xiao, G. S. Zhou, X. S. Zhang, J. Z. Zhao, G. Wu

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):467-471 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0075-1

Morphology, biomass accumulation and allocation, gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence were compared for one-year-old seedlings of Salix psammophila and Artemisia ordosica, two dominant desert species, in response to two water supplies (equivalent to 315.0 mm for present precipitation in growing season and to 157.5 mm for future decreasing precipitation) during 105 d. For both species, photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (F_v/F_m), net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, biomass accumulation in different organs, tree height, number of leaves, and leaf area were reduced in response...

Role of calcium ion in protection against heat and high irradiance stress-induced oxidative damage to photosynthesis of wheat leaves

Hui-Jie Zhao, Ji-Fang Tan

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):473-476 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0076-0

Cross stress of heat and high irradiance (HI) resulted in the accumulation of active oxygen species and photo-oxidative damage to photosynthetic apparatus of wheat leaves during grain development. Pre-treatment with calcium ion protected the photosynthetic system from oxidative damage by reducing O^-.₂ production, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and retarding electrolyte leakage from cell. Therefore, high F_v/F_m [maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (PS2) while all PS2 reaction centres are open], F_m/F₀ (another expression for the maximal photochemical efficiency of PS2), Φ_PS2...

Leaf area estimation in a sugar beet cultivar by linear models

J. T. Tsialtas, N. Maslaris

Photosynthetica 2005, 43(3):477-479 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-005-0077-z

An indirect method of leaf area measurement for Rizor sugar beet cultivar was tested. Leaves were sampled during two growing seasons in a Randomised Complete Block Design experiment. For 2002 samplings, leaf area [cm²] was linearly correlated with maximum leaf width [cm] using all leaf samples (r² = 0.83, p < 0.001) or using the means of the 8 sampling occasions (r² = 0.97, p < 0.001). Correlations between leaf area and leaf mid vein length [cm] were weaker (r² = 0.75, p < 0.001 and r² = 0.93, p < 0. 001, respectively). For 2003 samplings, the area estimated...