Abstract
Chlorophyll a (Chl a) accumulation in the cotyledons of Scots pine seedlings (Pinus sylvestris L.) is much higher in the light than in darkness where it ceases 6 days after germination. When these darkgrown seedlings are treated with continuous white light (3,500 lx) a 3 h lag phase appears before Chl a accumulation is resumed. The lag phase can be eliminated by pretreating the seedlings with 7 h of weak red light (0.14 Wm-2) or with 14 red light pulses separated by relatively short dark periods (<100 min). The effect of 15s red light pulses can be fully reversed by 1 min far-red light pulses. This reversibility is lost within 2 min. In addition, the amount of Chl a formed within 27 h of continuous red light is considerably reduced by the simultaneous application of far-red (RG 9) light. It is concluded that phytochrome (Pfr) is required not only for the elimination of the lagphase but also to maintain a high rate of Chl a accumulation in continuous light. Since accumulation of 5-aminolevulinate (ALA) responds in the same manner as Chl a accumulation to a red light pretreatment it is further concluded that ALA formation is the point where phytochrome regulates Chl biosynthesis in continuous light. No correlation has been found between ALA and Chl a formation in darkness. This indicates that in a darkgrown pine seedling ALA formation is not rate limiting for Chl a accumulation.
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Abbreviations
- Chl:
-
chlorophyll(ide)
- PChl:
-
protochlorophyll(ide)
- ALA:
-
5-aminolevulinate
- Pr :
-
the red absorbing form of phytochrome
- Pfr :
-
the far-red absorbing form of phytochrome
- Ptot :
-
total phytochrome ([Pr]+[Pfr])
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Kasemir, H., Mohr, H. The involvement of phytochrome in controlling chlorophyll and 5-aminolevulinate formation in a gymnosperm seedling (Pinus sylvestris). Planta 152, 369–373 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388264
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00388264