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Intrinsic changes in photosynthetic parameters of carrot leaves under increasing CO2 concentrations and soil moisture regimes

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

A controlled growth chamber experiment was conducted to investigate the short-term water use and photosynthetic responses of 30-d-old carrot seedlings to the combined effects of CO2 concentration (50–1 050 µmol mol−1) and moisture deficits (−5, −30, −55, and −70 kPa). The photosynthetic response data was fitted to a non-rectangular hyperbola model. The estimated parameters were compared for effects of moisture deficit and elevated CO2 concentration (EC). The carboxylation efficiency (α) increased in response to mild moisture stress (−30 kPa) under EC when compared to the unstressed control. However, moderate (−55 kPa) and extreme (−70 kPa) moisture deficits reduced α under EC. Maximum net photosynthetic rate (P Nmax) did not differ between mild water deficit and unstressed controls under EC. Moderate and extreme moisture deficits reduced P Nmax by nearly 85 % compared to controls. Dark respiration rate (R D) showed no consistent response to moisture deficit. The CO2 compensation concentration (Γ) was 324 µmol mol−1 for −75 kPa and ranged 63–93 µmol mol−1 for other moisture regimes. Interaction between moisture deficit and EC was noticed for P N, ratio of intercellular and ambient CO2 concentration (C i/C a), stomatal conductance (g s ), and transpiration rate (E). P N was maximum and C i/C a was minimum at −30 kPa moisture deficit and at C a of 350 µmol mol−1. The g s and E showed an inverse relationship at all moisture deficit regimes and EC. Water use efficiency (WUE) increased with moisture deficit up to −55 kPa and declined thereafter. EC showed a positive influence towards sustaining P N and increasing WUE only under mild moisture stress, and no beneficial effects of EC were noticed at moderate or extreme moisture deficits.

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Abbreviations

C a :

ambient CO2 concentration

C i :

internal CO2 concentration

E:

leaf transpiration rate

g s :

stomatal conductance

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

R D :

dark respiration rate

RuBPCO:

ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

WUE:

water use efficiency

Γ:

carbon dioxide compensation concentration

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Animal Sciences, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, P.O. Box 550, Truro, NS, Canada, B2N 5E3

    A. Thiagarajan & R. R. Lada

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  1. A. Thiagarajan
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  2. R. R. Lada
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Correspondence to R. R. Lada.

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Thiagarajan, A., Lada, R.R. Intrinsic changes in photosynthetic parameters of carrot leaves under increasing CO2 concentrations and soil moisture regimes. Photosynthetica 45, 43–50 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-007-0007-3

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