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Photosynthetic activity of homoiochlorophyllous desiccation tolerant plant Haberlea rhodopensis during dehydration and rehydration

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Abstract

The functional state of the photosynthetic apparatus of flowering homoiochlorophyllous desiccation tolerant plant Haberlea rhodopensis during dehydration and subsequent rehydration was investigated in order to characterize some of the mechanisms by which resurrection plants survive drought stress. The changes in the CO2 assimilation rate, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, thermoluminescence, fluorescence imaging and electrophoretic characteristics of the chloroplast proteins were measured in control, moderately dehydrated (50% water content), desiccated (5% water content) and rehydrated plants. During the first phase of desiccation the net CO2 assimilation decline was influenced by stomatal closure. Further lowering of net CO2 assimilation was caused by both the decrease in stomatal conductance and in the photochemical activity of photosystem II. Severe dehydration caused inhibition of quantum yield of PSII electron transport, disappearance of thermoluminescence B band and mainly charge recombination related to S2Q −A takes place. The blue and green fluorescence emission in desiccated leaves strongly increased. It could be suggested that unchanged chlorophyll content and amounts of chlorophyll–proteins, reversible modifications in PSII electron transport and enhanced probability for non-radiative energy dissipation as well as increased polyphenolic synthesis during desiccation of Haberlea contribute to drought resistance and fast recovery after rehydration.

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Abbreviations

Ca:

Ambient air CO2 concentration

Chl:

Chlorophyll

Ci:

Intercellular CO2 concentration

F v /F m :

Maximal quantum efficiency of photosystem II in the dark adapted state

gs:

Stomatal conductance

LHCI:

Light harvesting complex I

LHCII:

Light harvesting complex II

NPQ:

Non-photochemical quenching

PSI:

Photosystem I

PSII:

Photosystem II

ΦPSII:

Quantum yield of photosystem II photochemistry in the light adapted state

WC:

Water content

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by NATO grand for K. Georgieva and by Bulgarian Fond “Scientific Investigations” (Project B-1203).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 21, Sofia, 1113, Bulgaria

    Katya Georgieva, Liliana Maslenkova & Violeta Peeva

  2. Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Plant Biology, Eötvös Lorand University, 1518, P.O. Box 120, Budapest, Hungary

    Zoltan Szigeti, Eva Sarvari & Laszlo Gaspar

  3. Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Szent István University, H-2103, Gödöllő, Hungary

    Evelin Peli & Zoltan Tuba

Authors
  1. Katya Georgieva
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  2. Zoltan Szigeti
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  3. Eva Sarvari
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  4. Laszlo Gaspar
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  5. Liliana Maslenkova
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  6. Violeta Peeva
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  7. Evelin Peli
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  8. Zoltan Tuba
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Correspondence to Katya Georgieva.

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Georgieva, K., Szigeti, Z., Sarvari, E. et al. Photosynthetic activity of homoiochlorophyllous desiccation tolerant plant Haberlea rhodopensis during dehydration and rehydration. Planta 225, 955–964 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-006-0396-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-006-0396-8

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