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Photochemistry of thylakoid membranes in two pea cultivars with different leaf colouration

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Abstract

Photochemical features of thylakoid membranes and chlorophyll content were investigated in two pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars with different leaf colouration: ‘Assas’ (red leaves) and ‘Arvika’ (green leaves). In vivo measured chlorophyll fluorescence (OJIP) was used to evaluate overall photosynthetic efficiency (expressed as performance index, PIABS) as well as for advanced analysis of main photochemical processes per active reaction centre (RC) of photosystem II (PSII). To evaluate the response of PSII driven linear electron transport (relETR) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), the plants were challenged with short-term high light (~2000 µmol m−2 s−1). In spite of prevailing red colour, leaves of ‘Assas’ had identical concentrations of chlorophylls a and b as green ones. The OJIP transients showed that red leaves grown in field (500–800 µmol m−2 s−1) had decreased PIABS and electron transport per RC beyond primary acceptor (Q −A ) compared to green leaves. After high light exposure red leaves revealed impaired relETR accompanied with increased NPQ values. Anthocyanins located in epidermal cells affected neither chlorophylls concentrations nor the light capture features of PSII. Despite equal concentrations of chlorophylls and PSII photochemistry further than Q −A in both leaf types, red leaves reduced overall photosynthetic efficiency due to impaired relETR in thylakoid membranes.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for the work was provided by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sport (Grants 073-0731674-1673 to HL, 073-0000000-3535 to SP and 073-0731674-0841 to VC).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Ulica cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia

      Selma Mlinarić, Lidija Begović & Vera Cesar

    2. Agricultural Institute Osijek, Južno predgrađe 17, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia

      Tihomir Čupić, Svetislav Popović & Vlatka Jurković

    3. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, L. Jägera 9, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia

      Hrvoje Lepeduš

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    1. Selma Mlinarić
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    Correspondence to Hrvoje Lepeduš.

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    Selma Mlinarić and Hrvoje Lepeduš have contributed equally to this work.

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    Mlinarić, S., Čupić, T., Popović, S. et al. Photochemistry of thylakoid membranes in two pea cultivars with different leaf colouration. Theor. Exp. Plant Physiol. 29, 13–24 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40626-016-0082-6

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