Abstract
TFA is a pollutant generated in the atmosphere by the degradation of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), as well as other anthropogenic sources such as teflon-cookware. The aim of this study was to quantify the physiological and biochemical basis of the inhibition of photosynthesis imposed by trifluoroacetate (TFA) in Phaseolus vulgaris and Zea mays, crop plants representing C3 and C4 photosynthesis respectively. Photosynthetic gas exchange and fast phase fluorescence kinetics were measured in parallel over a 12-day period in plants cultivated in a hydroponic system under strictly controlled conditions. Although initial stimulation of some photosynthetic parameters was observed at low TFA concentrations, marked inhibition occurred at higher concentrations. The inhibitory effect was reflected by chlorophyll a fluorescence and photosynthetic gas exchange derived parameters. Analysis of photosynthetic gas exchange revealed that besides constraints on mesophyll processes such as Rubisco activity and RuBP regeneration capaCity, stomatal limitation also increased with increasing TFA concentration, especially in P. vulgaris. Although the mechanism of inhibition was similar in both species, the C4 plants were affected more severely. In depth analysis of the fast phase fluorescence transients pointed at TFA-induced uncoupling of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) and inhibition of electron transport beyond QA including constraints on ferredoxin- NADP+ oxidoreductase (FNR)-function.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Ellis DA, Moody CA, Mabury SA (2002) Trifluoroacetic acid and longer chain perfluoro acids - sources and analysis. In: Neilson AH (ed) The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Vol. 3, Organofluorines. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 103–120.
Farquhar GD, Sharkey TD (1982) Stomatal conductance & photosynthesis. Annu Rev Plant Physiol 33:317–345.
Frank H, Klein A, Renschen D (1996) Environmental trif-luoroacetate. Nature 382:34.
Keys AJ, Parry MAJ (1990) Ribulose bisphosphate carboxy-lase/oxygenase and carbonic anhydrase. Meth Plant Biochem 3:1–15.
Paillotin G. (1976). Movement of excitations in the photo-synthetic domains of the photosynthetic domains of photosystem II. J. Theor. Biol. 58: 237–252.
Schansker G, Toth SZ, Strasser RJ (2006) dark-recovery of the fluorescence transient (OJIP) after light adaptation: The qT-component of non-photochemical quenching is related to an activated photosystem I acceptor side. Biochim Biophys Acta 1757:787–797.
Strasser BJ (1997) Donor side capacity of photosystem II probed by chlorophyll a fluorescence transients. Photosynth Res 52:147–155.
Strasser RJ, Tsimilli-Michael M, Srivastava A (2004) Analysis of the chlorophyll a fluorescence tran-sient. In: George C Papageorgiou, Govindjee (eds) Chlorophyll a Fluorescence: A Signature of Photosynthesis. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp 321–362.
Strauss AJ, Krüger GHJ, Van Heerden PDR, Pienaar JJ, Weissflog L (2004) Constraints on photosynthesis of C3 and C4 crop plants by trichloroacetic acid, an atmogenically generated pollutant. S Afr J Bot 70 (5):1–9.
Strauss AJ, Krüger GHJ, Strasser RJ, Van Heerden PDR (2007) The role of soil temperature in the inhibition of growth and PSII function during dark chilling in soy-bean genotypes of contrasting tolerance. Physiologia Plantarum (in press).
Tang X, Madronich S, Wallington T, Calamari D (1998) Changes in tropospheric composition and air quality. J Photochem Photobiol B 46:83–95.
Tsimilli-Michael, M & Strasser RJ. (2008). In vivo assessment of stress impact on plants’ vital-ity: Applications in detecting and evaluating the beneficial role of mycorrhization on host plants. In: Ajit Varma (edit), Mycorrhiza. Springer (In press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer Science + Business Media, B.V.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Smit, M.F., Krüger, G.H.J., van Heerden, P.D.R., Pienaar, J.J., Weissflog, L., Strasser, R.J. (2008). Effect of Trifluoroacetate, a Persistent Degradation Product of Fluorinated Hydrocarbons, on C3 and C4 Crop Plants. In: Allen, J.F., Gantt, E., Golbeck, J.H., Osmond, B. (eds) Photosynthesis. Energy from the Sun. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6709-9_322
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6709-9_322
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-6707-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-6709-9
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)