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Role of xanthophyll cycle-mediated photoprotection in Arbutus unedo plants exposed to water stress during the Mediterranean summer

  • Original Papers
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Photosynthetica

Abstract

We analyzed the response of potted strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) seedlings exposed to water stress by withholding water for 10 d (WS). Leaf water potential, net CO2 assimilation, and stomatal conductance decreased with increasing water deficit. A 30 % reduction of chlorophyll (Chl) content in the antenna complexes was observed in WS-plants. Simultaneously, a decline of photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) occurred as a result of an excess of solar radiation energy when carbon assimilation was limited by stomata closure due to soil water deficit. The non-photochemical quenching of Chl fluorescence (ΦNPQ) significantly increased, as well as the leaf contents of zeaxanthin (Z) and antheraxanthin (A) at the expense of violaxanthin during the WS-period. Elevated predawn contents of de-epoxidized xanthophyll cycle components were associated with a sustained lowering of predawn photosystem 2 efficiency; this suggested an engagement of Z+A in a state primed for energy dissipation. Thus, the ability of strawberry trees to maintain the functionality of the xanthophyll cycle during the Mediterranean summer is an efficient mechanism to prevent irreversible damages to the photosynthetic machinery through thermal energy dissipation in the antenna and the reduction in photochemical efficiency.

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Abbreviations

A:

antheraxanthin

C:

control leaves

ΔF/Fm′:

photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 in the light

Fm :

maximal fluorescence in the dark

Fv/Fm :

photochemical efficiency of PS2 in the dark

F0 :

minimal fluorescence in the dark

g s :

stomatal conductance

HPLC:

high-performance liquid chromatography

PFD:

photon flux density

PS2:

photosystem 2

QB :

secondary plastoquinone acceptors of PS2

RC:

reaction centre

V:

violaxanthin

VAZ:

total amount of xanthophyll cycle components

VPD:

vapour pressure deficit

WS:

water-stressed leaves

Z:

zeaxanthin

Φf,D :

sum of fluorescence and constitutive thermal dissipation

ΦNPQ :

quantum yield of xanthophyll-regulated thermal energy dissipation

ΦPS2 :

quantum yield of photochemistry

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Biometeorologia, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy

    R. Baraldi & F. Rapparini

  2. Dipartimento di Colture Arboree, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Viale Fanin 46, 40127, Bologna, Italy

    F. Canaccini, F. Magnani & A. Zamboni

  3. Dipartimento di Scienze dei Sistemi Colturali, Forestali e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 85100, Potenza, Italy

    S. Cortes

  4. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali Forestali, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via S. Bonaventura 13, 50145, Firenze, Italy

    S. Raddi

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  1. R. Baraldi
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  2. F. Canaccini
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  3. S. Cortes
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Baraldi, R., Canaccini, F., Cortes, S. et al. Role of xanthophyll cycle-mediated photoprotection in Arbutus unedo plants exposed to water stress during the Mediterranean summer. Photosynthetica 46, 378–386 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-008-0069-x

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