Abstract
Inhibition and recovery of net CO2 uptake and three photosynthetic electron transport reactions as well as plant survival following high-temperature treatments were investigated for Opuntia ficus-indica. For plants maintained at 30°C/20°C day/night air temperatures, treatment at 60°C for 1 h irreversibly inhibited net CO2 uptake and photosynthetic electron transport, resulting in plant death in about 60 days. When a plant maintained at 30°C/20°C was treated at 55°C for 1 h, net CO2 uptake was completely inhibited 1 d after the treatment but fully recovered in 60 d. Differential inactivation of photosystem (PS) I, PSII, and whole chain electron transport activities occurred; PSI was the most tolerant of 55°C and took the least time (45 d) for total recovery. All 30°C/20°C plants survived a 1-h treatment at 55°C, although some pale green areas were observed on the cladode surfaces. In contrast to growing at 30°C/20°C, plants acclimated to 45°C/35°C survived 60°C for 1 h without showing any necrotic or pale green areas on the cladode surfaces. When such a plant was transferred to 30°C/20°C following the high-temperature treatment, recovery in net CO2 uptake began in 1 d and progressed to complete recovery by 30 d. Growth temperatures thus influence the possibility for recovery of photosynthetic reactions and ultimately the survival of O. ficus-indica following a high-temperature exposure.
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Abbreviations
- DCPIP:
-
2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol
- MV:
-
methyl viologen
- PAR:
-
photosynthetically active radiation
- PSI or PSII:
-
photosystem I or II
- WC:
-
whole chain
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Chetti, M.B., Nobel, P.S. Recovery of photosynthetic reactions after high-temperature treatments of a heat-tolerant cactus. Photosynth Res 18, 277–286 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034832
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034832