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Are the fluorescence parameters of German chamomile leaves the first indicators of the anthodia yield in drought conditions?

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

7-day soil drought followed by 7-day rehydration was applied to potted German chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) plants at the beginning of their generative stage. Plants of a wild type (WT), plus two diploid (2n) and two tetraploid (4n) genotypes were studied, in order to examine the alterations in chlorophyll (Chl) and carotenoids (Car) contents, and chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) parameters during water shortage and rehydration. The fresh mass of the anthodia after the recovery was also studied.

WT plants adjust better to water stress than modern breeding genotypes, because drought resulted in the low fall in leaf water content of WT, the lowest decrease in the fresh mass of its anthodia (a 41% decrease from the control), and the most elastic response of the photosynthetic apparatus. 4n C11/2 strain plants suffered from the highest reduction in anthodia yield (87%), and had the lowest constitutive pigment contents. It was also the only genotype which revealed nontypical alterations in various CF parameters obtained on a dark- and light-adapted leaf. During drought, a big increase was noticed in minimal, maximal, and variable fluorescence of PSII reaction centres in the dark- adapted (F0, Fm and Fv, respectively), and in the light-adapted state (F0′, Fm′ and Fv′). It was accompanied by the biggest decline in linear electron transport rate (ETR), quantum efficiency of PSII electron transport (ΦPSII) and photochemical quenching coefficient (qP). These alterations were prolonged to the stage when the normal leaf water content was retained. On the contrary, C6/2 strain plants had the highest constitutive Chl and Car contents, which additionally increased after rehydration, similarly to the values of F0, Fm and Fv, which reflects the high photosynthetic potential of this genotype. It was accompanied by the relatively high yield of its anthodia after drought. Considering the drop in the yield triggered by drought, it seems to be the only parameter which may be linked with the ploidy level.

Although the yield formation of chamomile strains cannot simply be estimated by CF assay, this technique may serve as an additional tool in the selection of plants to drought. The following circumstances should be submitted; namely: measurement at the proper developmental stage of plants, in different water regimes, and an analysis of various CF parameters. The increase in F0 and F0′, and the reduction in ETR, Fv′/Fm′, ΦPSII and qP values in response to water deficit should be an indicator of the impairment of the photosynthetic apparatus through drought.

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Abbreviations

Car:

carotenoid

CF:

chlorophyll fluorescence

Chl:

chlorophyll

F0, Fm :

minimal and maximal fluorescence in the dark-adapted state, respectively

Fv :

variable fluorescence in the dark-adapted state

Fv/Fm :

photochemical efficiency of PSII in the dark-adapted state

F0′, Fm′:

minimal and maximal fluorescence in the light-adapted state, respectively

Fv′:

variable fluorescence in the light-adapted state

Fv′/Fm′:

PSII maximum efficiency

ETR:

linear electron transport rate

ΦPSII :

quantum efficiency of PSII electron transport

NPQ:

nonphotochemical quenching of maximal CF

PSII:

photosystem II

qP :

photochemical quenching coefficient

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Acknowledgement

The authors thank to Ms Ewa Piechocka and Ms Ewa Przydanek (Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants, Poznań) for excellent technical support. RBK will also to thank to the two anonymous reviewers for the comments which allowed to improve the final version of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Physiology Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture, Kraków 30-239, Podłużna 3, Poland

    R. Bączek-Kwinta & A. Kozieł

  2. Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants, Wojska Polskiego 71B, 60-630, Poznań, Poland

    K. Seidler-Łożykowska

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  1. R. Bączek-Kwinta
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  2. A. Kozieł
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  3. K. Seidler-Łożykowska
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Correspondence to R. Bączek-Kwinta.

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Bączek-Kwinta, R., Kozieł, A. & Seidler-Łożykowska, K. Are the fluorescence parameters of German chamomile leaves the first indicators of the anthodia yield in drought conditions?. Photosynthetica 49, 87–97 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-011-0013-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-011-0013-3

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