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Responses of clonal growth and photosynthesis in Amomum villosum to different light environments

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Clonal growth is of great importance for survival, growth, expansion, and resource utilization of some species. Knowing how clonal plants respond morphologically and physiologically to different light environments can be useful to explain their occurrence and abundance patterns under specific environmental conditions. Responses of clonal growth, leaf gas exchange, fluorescence emission, and photosynthetic pigment concentrations to different light environments (100, 60, 30, and 15%) were studied in Amomum villosum, grown in the traditional way for economic purpose in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. The results showed that A. villosum attained vigorous clonal growth under 30% and 60% light, with a higher plant height, number of ramets, stolon length, thicker stems and stolons. Shade-grown A. villosum possessed a larger leaf area than that of the sun-grown plants in order to capture more light. For A. villosum, the higher light-saturated net photosynthetic rate, light-saturation point, larger fresh and dry biomass can explained the better clonal growth for A. villosum under 30% and 60% light. Amomum villosum attained the highest values of minimal chlorophyll fluorescence under 100% light and the lowest values of maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII under 15% light. Our findings indicated that the full irradiance was too strong and 15% light was too weak for A. villosum plants. It was also verified by higher concentrations of photosynthetic pigments in the shaded plants compared to those grown under full sun light. Our results suggested that A. villosum seemed to be adapted to moderate light environment (60–30%) which was indicated by vigorous clonal growth and higher photosynthesis. This information is very useful to select clonal species for rainforest or understory projects. The cultivation of A. villosum in rainforest should not be done under too strong (100%) or too weak light environment (less than 15%).

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Abbreviations

Car:

carotenoid

Chl:

chlorophyll

FL:

full sunlight

F0 :

minimal fluorescence yield of the dark adapted state

Fv/Fm :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

LCP:

light-compensation point

LSP:

light-saturation point

P Nmax :

lightsaturated net photosynthetic rate

R D :

dark respiration rate

S15:

15% shading

S30:

30% shading

S60:

60% shading

α:

apparent quantum yield

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China

    Y. H. Guo, K. L. Zhang & X. J. Ma

  2. Institute of Medicinal Plant Development Yunnan Branch, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinghong, 666100, China

    Y. H. Guo, C. Yuan, L. Tang, J. M. Peng & G. Li

Authors
  1. Y. H. Guo
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  2. C. Yuan
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  3. L. Tang
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  4. J. M. Peng
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  5. K. L. Zhang
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  6. G. Li
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  7. X. J. Ma
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Correspondence to X. J. Ma.

Additional information

Acknowledgments: This study was supported by Yuannan Base Construction for Seed and Seedling Breeding Required by National Essential Medicines of China (Treasury department 2013 NO.135), by creative group research project, Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research Business of Central Public Research Institutes (YZYN-13-01) of Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, by Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences: Germplasm Innovation and Breeding of Tropical Famous Medical Plants (121306), and by Special Support from Collaborative Innovation Research Center of South Medicines of Yunnan Provincial Education Department.

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Guo, Y.H., Yuan, C., Tang, L. et al. Responses of clonal growth and photosynthesis in Amomum villosum to different light environments. Photosynthetica 54, 396–404 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-016-0194-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-016-0194-x

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