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Variation of photosynthetic capacity with leaf age in an alpine orchid, Cypripedium flavum

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Abstract

Photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf nitrogen and chlorophyll content of Cypripedium flavum were studied at different leaf ages. The photosynthetic capacity changed significantly with leaf age. Net photosynthesis and chlorophyll content peaked when leaf age was 60 days, decreasing at 30, 90 and 120 days. Stomatal conductance showed the highest value at 60 days, while mesophyll conductance decreased with increasing leaf age. Both leaf nitrogen content per unit area and leaf nitrogen content per unit mass decreased with increasing leaf age. The age-dependent variation in photosynthetic capacity could be linked to the changes in biochemical efficiency, leaf nitrogen content and CO2 diffusion limitation.

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Abbreviations

C i :

intercellular CO2 concentration

C c :

chloroplast CO2 concentration

Chl:

chlorophyll content

F v/F m :

maximum efficiency of PSII photochemistry

g m :

mesophyll conductance

g s :

stomatal conductance

J max :

light-saturated rate of electron transport

\( l_{{g_{{\text{m}}} }} \) :

relative mesophyll conductance limitation

LMA:

dry mass per unit leaf area

l s :

relative stomatal limitation

Na :

leaf N content per unit area

Nm :

leaf N content per unit mass

A :

photosynthetic rate

A max :

light-saturated photosynthetic rate

PNUE:

photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

V cmax :

maximum RuBP saturated rate of carboxylation

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Acknowledgments

This project is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (30770226, 30470182), West Light Foundation of CAS and Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan (2006C0043Q). The authors thank Prof. Chong-Shih Tang at University of Hawaii for improving the English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650204, China

    S. B. Zhang, H. Hu & Z. R. Li

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  1. S. B. Zhang
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  2. H. Hu
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  3. Z. R. Li
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Correspondence to H. Hu.

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Communicated by E. Lojkowska.

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Zhang, S.B., Hu, H. & Li, Z.R. Variation of photosynthetic capacity with leaf age in an alpine orchid, Cypripedium flavum . Acta Physiol Plant 30, 381–388 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-008-0135-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-008-0135-9

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