Abstract
In certain sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) production regions of the world, including South Africa, frost frequently occurs. Great demand exists for frost tolerant sugarcane varieties as production in these areas could become more profitable. Two Louisiana (USA) varieties, known to yield high sugar even when immature (LCP 85-384 and HOCP 96-540), and two South African varieties (N21 and N36) were evaluated in a field trial for frost tolerance. O–J–I–P chlorophyll a fluorescence transients were recorded in youngest fully-expanded leaves of these varieties on several occasions before and following exposure to frost. Analysis of these transients revealed that varieties N36 and LCP 85-384 were capable of cold acclimation following the first frost, while N21 and HOCP 96-540 lacked similar capability. Exposure to further frosts altered the fluorescence transients in a variety-specific fashion, with recovery in N36 and LCP 85-384 towards baseline kinetics, but with further deterioration in N21 and HOCP 96-540. Between the first frost and harvest, estimated recoverable crystal (ERC) content values in cane stalks of N36 and LCP 85-384 increased by 26 and 20 % respectively, while in N21 and HOCP 96-540 ERC content values only increased by 8 and 11 % respectively. Consequently, N36 and LCP 85-384 ultimately achieved the highest ERC yields (tons/hectare). The ability to maintain high ERC accumulation capacity for longer following frost could be an important factor determining sugarcane yield performance in frost-prone areas. In addition, O–J–I–P fluorescence rise kinetics show promise as a rapid screening tool for assessment of cold acclimation potential in sugarcane.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- ERC:
-
Estimated recoverable crystal
- NADP-MDH:
-
NADP-malate dehydrogenase
- PIABS :
-
Performance index
References
Berry J, Björkman O (1980) Photosynthetic response and adaptation to temperature in higher plants. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 31:491–543
Du YC, Nose A, Wasano K (1999) Effects of chilling temperature on photosynthetic rates, photosynthetic enzyme activities and metabolite levels in leaves of three sugarcane species. Plant, Cell Environ 22:317–324
Dufrene EO, Tew TL (2004) HOCP 96-540, a chip off the old block? Am Soc Sugar Cane Technol 24:82
Ebrahim MKH, Vogg G, Osman MNEH, Komor E (1998) Photosynthetic performance and adaptation of sugarcane at suboptimal temperatures. J Plant Physiol 153:587–592
Edwards GE, Nakamoto H, Burnell JN, Hatch MD (1985) Pyruvate, Pi dikinase and NADP-malate dehydrogenase in C4 photosynthesis: properties and mechanism of light/dark regulation. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 36:255–286
Eggleston G, Legendre B, Tew T (2004) Indicators of freeze-damaged sugarcane varieties which can predict processing problems. Food Chem 87:119–133
Force L, Critchley C, Van Rensen JJS (2003) New fluorescence parameters for monitoring photosynthesis in plants. Photosynth Res 78:17–33
Haldimann P, Strasser RJ (1999) Effects of anaerobiosis as probed by the polyphasic chlorophyll a fluorescence rise kinetic in pea (Pisum sativum L.). Photosynth Res 62:67–83
Kakani VG, Boote KJ, Reddy KR, Lang DJ (2008) Response of bahiagrass carbon assimilation and photosystem activity to below optimum temperatures. Funct Plant Biol 35:1243–1254
Kautsky H, Hirsch A (1931) Neue versuche zur kohlensäure assimilation. Naturwissenschaften 19:964
Krüger GHJ, Tsimilli-Michael M, Strasser RJ (1997) Light stress provokes plastic and elastic modifications in structure and function of photosystem II in camellia leaves. Physiol Plant 101:265–277
Lavorel J, Etienne AL (1977) In vivo chlorophyll fluorescence. Top Photosynth 2:203–268
Lazár D, Ilík P (1997) High-temperature induced chlorophyll fluorescence changes in barley leaves: comparison of the critical temperatures determined from fluorescence induction and from fluorescence temperature curve. Plant Sci 124:159–164
Osborne CP, Wythe EJ, Ibrahim DG, Gilbert ME, Ripley BS (2008) Low temperature effects on leaf physiology and survivorship in the C3 and C4 subspecies of Alloteropsis semialata. J Exp Bot 59:1743–1754
Papageorgio J (1975) Chlorophyll fluorescence: an intrinsic probe of photosynthesis. In: Govindjee (ed) Bioenergetics of photosynthesis. Academic Press, New York, pp 319–371
Rapacz M (2007) Chlorophyll a fluorescence transient during freezing and recovery in winter wheat. Photosynthetica 45:409–418
Rapacz M, Sasal M, Gut M (2011) Chlorophyll fluorescence-based studies of frost damage and the tolerance for cold-induced photoinhibition in freezing tolerance analysis of Triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack). J Agron Crop Sci 197:378–389
Rowley JA (1976) Development of freezing tolerance in leaves of C4 grasses. Aust J Plant Physiol 3:597–603
Rowley JA, Tunnicliffe CG, Taylor AO (1975) Freezing sensitivity of leaf tissue of C4 grasses. Aust J Plant Physiol 2:447–451
Sage RF, Kubien DS (2007) The temperature response of C3 and C4 photosynthesis. Plant, Cell Environ 30:1086–1106
Snyman SJ, Meyer GM, Banasiak M, Nicholson TL, van Antwerpen T, Naidoo P, Erasmus JD (2008) Micropropagation of sugarcane via NovaCane®: preliminary steps in commercial application. Proc S Afr Sugar Technol Assoc 81:513–516
Strasser RJ, Govindjee (1992) The F0 and the O–J–I–P fluorescence rise in higher plants and algae. In: Argyroudi-Akoyunoglou JH (ed) Regulation of chloroplast biogenesis. Plenum Press, New York, USA, pp 423–426
Strasser BJ, Strasser RJ (1995) Measuring fast fluorescence transients to address environmental questions: the JIP-test. In: Mathis P (ed) Photosynthesis: from light to biosphere, vol V. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, pp 977–980
Strasser RJ, Srivastava A, Govindjee (1995) Polyphasic chlorophyll a fluorescence transient in plants and cyanobacteria. Photochem Photobiol 61:32–42
Strasser RJ, Srivastava A, Tsimilli-Michael M (2000) The fluorescent transient as a tool to characterise and screen photosynthesic samples. In: Yunus M, Pathre U, Mohanty P (eds) Probing photosynthesis: mechanisms, regulation and adaptation. Taylor and Francis, London, pp 445–483
Strauss AJ, Krüger GHJ, Strasser RJ, Van Heerden PDR (2007) The role of low soil temperature in the inhibition of growth and PSII function during dark chilling in soybean genotypes of contrasting tolerance. Physiol Plant 131:89–105
Trischuk RG, Schilling BS, Wisniewski M, Gusta LV (2006) Freezing stress: systems biology to study cold tolerance. In: Madhava Rao KV, Raghavendra AS, Janardhan Reddy K (eds) Physiology and molecular biology of stress tolerance in plants. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 131–155
Tsimilli-Michael M, Pêcheux M, Strasser RJ (1999) Light and heat stress adaptation of the symbionts of coral reef and temperate foraminifers probed in hospite by the chlorophyll a fluorescence kinetics O–J–I–P. Naturforsch 54C:671–680
Van Rensburg L, Krüger GHJ, Eggenberg P, Strasser RJ (1996) Can screening criteria for drought resistance in Nicotiana tabacum L. be derived from the polyphasic rise of the chlorophyll a fluorescence transient (OJIP)? S Afr J Bot 62:337–341
Acknowledgments
The author acknowledges Mr. Rudolph Koch for provision of land and managing of the field trial on his farm Green Hill (Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
van Heerden, P.D.R. Differential acclimation capacity to frost in sugarcane varieties grown under field conditions. Plant Growth Regul 72, 181–187 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-013-9850-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-013-9850-3