Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cold-hardening-induced resistance to photoinhibition of photosynthesis in winter rye is dependent upon an increased capacity for photosynthesis

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Analyses of chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic oxygen evolution were conducted to understand why cold-hardened winter rye (Secale cereale L.) is more resistant to photoinhibition of photosynthesis than is non-hardened winter rye. Under similar light and temperature conditions, leaves of cold-hardened rye were able to keep a larger fraction of the PS II reaction centres in an open configuration, i.e. a higher ratio of oxidized to reduced QA (the primary, stable quinone acceptor of PSII), than leaves of non-hardened rye. Three fold-higher photon fluence rates were required for cold-hardened leaves than for non-hardened leaves in order to establish the same proportion of oxidized to reduced QA. This ability of cold-hardened rye fully accounted for its higher resistance to photoinhibition; under similar redox states of qa cold-hardened and non-hardened leaves of winter rye exhibited similar sensitivities to photoinhibition. Under given light and temperature conditions, it was the higher capacity for light-saturated photosynthesis in cold-hardened than in non-hardened leaves, which was responsible for maintaining a higher proportion of oxidized to reduced QA. This higher capacity for photosynthesis of cold-hardened leaves also explained the increased resistance of photosynthesis to photoinhibition upon cold-hardening.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

Fm and F'm :

fluorescence when all PSII reaction centres are closed in dark- and light-acclimated leaves, respectively

Fo and F'o :

fluorescence when all PSII reaction centres are open in darkness and steady-state light, respectively

F′v :

variable fluorescence (F'm-F'o) under steady-state light conditions

Fv/Fm :

the ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence as an expression of the maximum photochemical yield of PSII in dark-acclimated leaves

QA :

the primary, stable, quinone electron acceptor of PSII

qN :

non-photochemical quenching of fluorescence due to high energy state (ΔpH)

qp :

photochemical quenching of fluorescence

RH:

cold-hardened rye

RNH:

non-hardened rye

References

  • Boese, S.R., Huner, N.P.A. (1990) Effect of growth temperature and temperature shifts on spinach leaf morphology and photosynthesis. Plant Physiol. 94, 1830–1836

    Google Scholar 

  • Bilger, W., Schreiber, U. (1986) Energy-dependent quenching of dark-level chlorophyll fluorescence in intact leaves. Photosyn. Res. 10, 303–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Crespi, M.D., Zabaleta, E.J., Pontis, H.G., Salerno, G.L. (1991) Sucrose synthase expression during cold acclimation in wheat. Plant Physiol. 96, 887–891

    Google Scholar 

  • Delieu, T.D., Walker, D.A. (1983) Simultaneous measurement of oxygen evolution and chlorophyll fluorescence from leaf pieces. Plant Physiol. 73, 542–549

    Google Scholar 

  • Demmig-Adams, B. (1990) Carotenoids and photoprotection in plants: A role for the xanthophyll zeaxanthin. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1020, 1–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Genty, B., Briantais, J.-M., Baker, N.R. (1989) The relationship between the quantum yield of photosynthetic electron transport and quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 990, 87–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Havaux, M., Strasser, R.J., Greppin, H. (1991) A theoretical and experimental analysis of the qP and qN coefficients of chlorophyll fluorescence quenching and their relation to photochemical and nonphotochemical events. Photosynth. Res. 27, 41–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Huner, N.P.A., Migus, W., Tollenaar, M. (1986) Leaf CO2 exchange rates in winter rye grown at cold-hardening and nonhardening temperatures. Can. J. Plant Sci. 66, 443–452

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurry, V.M., Huner, N.P.A. (1991) Low growth temperature effects a differential inhibition of photosynthesis in spring and winter wheat. Plant Physiol. 96, 491–497

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurry, V.M., Huner, N.P.A. (1992) Effects of cold-hardening on sensitivity of winter and spring wheat leaves to short-term photoinhibition and recovery of photosynthesis. Plant Physiol., in press

  • Kyle, D.J. (1987) The biochemical basis for photoinhibition of photosystem II. In: Topics in photosynthesis. Photoinhibition, vol. 9, pp. 197–226, Kyle, D.J., Osmond, C.B., Arntzen, C.J., eds. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapointe, L., Huner, N.P.A., Carpentier, R., Ottander, C. (1991) Resistance to low temperature photoinhibition is not associated with isolated thylakoid membranes in winter rye. Plant Physiol. 97, 804–810

    Google Scholar 

  • Markgraf, T., Berry, J. (1990) Measurement of photochemical and non-photochemical quenching: correction of turnover of PS2 during steady-state photosynthesis: In: Current research in photosynthesis, vol. IV, pp. 279–282, Baltscheffsky, M., ed. Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Ögren, E. (1991) Prediction of photoinhibition of photosynthesis from measurements of fluorescence quenching components. Planta 184, 538–544

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist, G. (1987) Environmental stress and photosynthesis. In: Progress in photosynthesis research, vol. IV, pp. 1–10, Biggins, J., ed. Martinus Nijhoff Publ., Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist, G., Huner, N.P.A. (1991) Effects of cold acclimation on the susceptibility of photosynthesis to photoinhibition in Scots pine and winter and spring cereals: a fluorescence analysis. Funct. Ecol. 5, 91–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist, G., Malmberg, G. (1989) Light and temperature dependent inhibition of photosynthesis in frost-hardened and unhardened seedling of pine. Photosynth. Res. 20, 261–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist, G., Brunes, L., Hällgren, J.-E., Gezelius, K., Halle'n, M., Malmberg, G. (1980) Effects of artificial fro'st hardening and winter stress on photosynthesis, photosynthetic electron transport and RuBP carboxylase activity in seedlings of Pinus sylvestris. Physiol. Plant. 48, 526–531

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist, G., Greer, D.H., Ögren, E. (1987) Light stress at low temperature. In: Photoinhibition, pp. 67–87, Kyle, D.J., Osmond, C.B., Arntzen, C.J., eds. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist, G., Chow, W.S., Anderson, J.M. (1992a) Photoinhibition of photosynthesis represents a mechanism for the long-term regulation of photosynthesis. Planta 186, 450–460

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist, G., Hurry, V.M., Öquist, M.G., Huner, N.P.A. (1992b) Differential resistance of frost-hardened and non-hardened winter rye to photoinhibition of photosynthesis is due to an increased capacity of frost-hardened rye to keep QA oxidized under similar light and temperature conditions. Photosynthetica, in press

  • Osmond, C.B. (1981) Photorespiration and photoinhibition. Some implications for the energetics of photosynthesis. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 639, 77–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Porra, R.J., Thompson, W.A., Kriedemann, P.E. (1989) Determination of accurate extinction coefficients and simultaneous equations for assaying chlorophyll a and b with four different solvents: verification of the concentration of chlorophyll by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 975, 384–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Powles, S.B. (1984) Photoinhibition of photosynthesis induced by visible light. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 35, 15–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Schöner, S., Krause, G.H. (1990) Protective systems against active oxygen species in spinach: response to cold acclimation in excess light. Planta 180, 383–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Somersalo, S., Krause, G.H. (1989) Photoinhibition at chilling temperature. Fluorescence characteristics of unhardened and cold acclimated spinach leaves. Planta 177, 409–416

    Google Scholar 

  • Tognetti, J.A., Salerno, G.L., Crespi, M.D., Pontis, H.G. (1990) Sucrose and fructan metabolism of different wheat cultivars at chilling temperatures. Physiol. Plant. 78, 554–559

    Google Scholar 

  • van Kooten, O., Snel, J.F.H. (1990) The use of chlorophyll fluorescence nomenclature in plant stress physiology. Photosyn. Res. 25, 147–150

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Physiology, University of Umeå, S-901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Gunnar Öquist

  2. Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, N6A 5B7, London, Ontario, Canada

    Norman P. A. Huner

Authors
  1. Gunnar Öquist
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Norman P. A. Huner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This work was supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERCC) Operating Grant to N.P.A.H. G.Ö. was supported by an NSERCC International Exchange Award and by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Öquist, G., Huner, N.P.A. Cold-hardening-induced resistance to photoinhibition of photosynthesis in winter rye is dependent upon an increased capacity for photosynthesis. Planta 189, 150–156 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201355

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201355

Key words

Search

Navigation