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Influence of water stress on photosynthetic characteristics in barley plants under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

We evaluated the combined effects of elevated CO2 and water availability on photosynthesis in barley. Soil and plant water content decreased with water stress, but less under elevated CO2 concentration (EC) compared with ambient CO2 concentration (AC). During water stress, stomatal conductance, carboxylation rate, RuBP regeneration, and the rate of triose phosphate utilisation (TPU) were decreased but less when plants grew under EC. Drought treatments caused only a slight effect on maximum photochemical efficiency (variable to maximum fluorescence ratio, Fv/Fm), whereas the actual quantum yield (ΦPS2), maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) and photochemical quenching (qP) were decreased and the non photochemical quenching (NPQ) was enhanced. Under water deficit, the allocation of electrons to CO2 assimilation was diminished by 49 % at AC and by 26 % at EC while the allocation to O2 reduction was increased by 15 % at AC and by 12 % at EC.

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Abbreviations

AC:

ambient CO2 concentration

ca :

external CO2 concentration

ci :

intercellular CO2 concentration

EC:

elevated CO2 concentration (700 μmol mol−1)

ETR:

the apparent total electron transport rate

ΦCO 2 :

the apparent quantum yield of CO2 fixation

ΦPS2 :

actual quantum yield of PS 2

F0, F′0 :

minimum fluorescence of dark- and light-adapted leaves

Fm, F′m :

maximum fluorescence of dark- and light-adapted leaves

Fs :

steady-state fluorescence in light-adapted leaves

F′v/F′m :

photochemical trapping efficiency in dark-adapted leaves

F′v/F′m :

photochemical efficiency of PS 2 open centres

gs :

stomatal conductance

Jmax :

maximum electron transport rate

Jc :

carboxylation electron transport

Jo :

oxygenation electron transport

NPQ:

non-photochemical quenching of fluorescence yield

PN :

net photosynthetic rate

PNmax :

PN at saturating CO2 concentration

PPFD:

photosynthetically active photon flux density

qP:

photochemical quenching of fluorescence yield

RD :

respiration rate in the dark

RL :

respiration rate in the light

RSWC:

relative soil water content

RWC:

leaf relative water content

TPU:

triose phosphate utilisation

Vcmax :

maximum carboxylation rate

ΓCO 2 :

carbon dioxide compensation point

Ψo :

leaf osmotic potential

Ψw :

leaf water potential.

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Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by grant MEC PB98-0148, grant GV. PI-1999-52, grant MCyT BFI2002-0391, grant ETORTEK07/44 and grant UPVGIU07/43. A. Robredo was the recipient of a grant from Departamento de Educación, Universidades e Investigación del Gobierno Vasco (Spain). We wish to thank D. Johnson for revising the English text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco/EHU, Apdo. 644, E-48080, Bilbao, Spain

    A. Robredo, U. Pérez-López, A. Mena-Petite & A. Muñoz-Rueda

  2. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad del País Vasco/EHU, Apdo 450, E-01080, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

    M. Lacuesta

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  1. A. Robredo
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  2. U. Pérez-López
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  3. M. Lacuesta
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  4. A. Mena-Petite
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  5. A. Muñoz-Rueda
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Correspondence to A. Mena-Petite.

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Robredo, A., Pérez-López, U., Lacuesta, M. et al. Influence of water stress on photosynthetic characteristics in barley plants under ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations. Biol Plant 54, 285–292 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-010-0050-y

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