Abstract
The composition of coloured carotenoids in the milo shoot was investigated quantitatively (high performance liquid chromatography) during light-mediated plastidogenesis, including the time span of ‘photodelay’ as caused by medium and high light fluxes. It was found that as long as only the far-red-absorbing form of phytochrome operates, the carotenoid pattern remains virtually the same as in complete darkness (violaxanthin and lutein as major constituents, traces of β-carotene). On the other hand, the pattern changes dramatically in white or red light with increasing amounts of chlorophyll (lutein and β-carotene dominate, β-carotene showing the strongest relative increase). Photodelay during the early phase of plastidogenesis affects the carotenoid composition strongly. Increase of neoxanthin, violaxanthin and β-carotene contents are diminished while lutein accumulation proves resistant towards chlorophyll-mediated photoinhibition. The photodelay can be diminished by an appropriate light pretreatment. The data indicate that light-mediated control over carotenoid accumulation is exerted at three levels: i) a coarse control through phytochrome, ii) fine tuning in connection with chlorophyll accumulation, iii) stabilization of holocomplexes against photodecomposition.
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Abbreviations
- GG14:
-
high fluence rate green-yellow light
- HPLC:
-
high-performance liquid chromatography
- Chl:
-
chlorophyll
- WLw :
-
weak white light (1200 lx)
- WLm :
-
medium flux white light (12000 lx)
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Oelmüller, R., Mohr, H. Carotenoid composition in milo (Sorghum vulgare) shoots as affected by phytochrome and chlorophyll. Planta 164, 390–395 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00402951
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00402951