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Photosynthetic parameters and carbon reserves of a resurrection plant Reaumuria soongorica during dehydration and rehydration

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Abstract

The effects of dehydration and subsequent rehydration on photosynthetic parameters and carbon reserves were investigated in the resurrection plant Reaumuria soongorica. Dehydration was imposed by withholding water and covering plants with a PVC sheet when it rained, over a period of 53 days, by which time all leaves had been shed. Thereafter, plants were watered at 7-day intervals. The diurnal course of the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was bimodal under well-watered conditions. After a period of withholding water, the second peak disappeared, and Pn, instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE), stomatal conductance (gs) and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) decreased, but sugar, starch and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) reserves increased. It was concluded that under the conditions of high temperature and dehydration, the reduction of Pn should be mainly attributed to gs. On rehydration Pn, gs, Ci and WUE increased slightly in the stem. Accompanying new leaf production, carbon reserves in the stem decreased. This indicated that carbon reserves in the stem have two important ecological roles, survival during dormant periods and support of vegetative regrowth following rehydration.

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Abbreviations

RWC:

Relative water contents

Pn :

Net photosynthetic rate

gs :

Stomatal conductance

Ci :

Intercellular CO2 concentration

WUE :

Instantaneous water use efficiency

PPFD:

Photosynthetic photon flux density

Tleaf :

Leaf temperature

NSC:

Non-structural carbohydrate

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the financial support from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (nos. 30900171, 40771005 and 40901019) and the National Science and Technology Pillar Program of China (No. 2007BAD46B03). The authors also want to express thanks to the editor and the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE, Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, 730000, Lanzhou, China

    Danghui Xu, Renyi Zhang, Honglin Li & Gang Wang

  2. Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Road, 730000, Lanzhou, China

    Danghui Xu, Peixi Su & Liang Zhao

Authors
  1. Danghui Xu
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  2. Peixi Su
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  3. Renyi Zhang
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  4. Honglin Li
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  5. Liang Zhao
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  6. Gang Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gang Wang.

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Xu, D., Su, P., Zhang, R. et al. Photosynthetic parameters and carbon reserves of a resurrection plant Reaumuria soongorica during dehydration and rehydration. Plant Growth Regul 60, 183–190 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-009-9440-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-009-9440-6

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