Abstract
Two-month-old seedlings of Sophora davidii were subjected to a randomized complete block design with three water (80, 40, and 20 % of water field capacity, i.e. FC80, FC40, and FC20) and three N supply [N0: 0, Nl: 92 and Nh: 184 mg(N) kg−1(soil)] regimes. Water stress produced decreased leaf area (LA) and photosynthetic pigment contents, inhibited photosynthetic efficiency, and induced photodamage in photosystem 2 (PS2), but increased specific leaf area (SLA). The decreased net photosynthetic rate (P N) under medium water stress (FC40) compared to control (FC80) might result from stomatal limitations, but the decreased P N under severe water deficit (FC20) might be attributed to non-stomatal limitations. On the other hand, N supply could improve photosynthetic capacity by increasing LA and photosynthetic pigment contents, and enhancing photosynthetic efficiency under water deficit. Moreover, N supply did a little in alleviating photodamages to PS2 caused by water stress. Hence water stress was the primary limitation in photosynthetic processes of S. davidii seedlings, while the photosynthetic characters of seedlings exhibited positive responses to N supply. Appropriate N supply is recommended to improve photosynthetic efficiency and alleviate photodamage under water stress.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bigras, F.J.: Photosynthetic response of white spruce families to drought stress.-New Forest 29: 135–148, 2005.
Bilger, W., Björkman, O., Thayer, S.S.: Light induced spectral absorbance changes in relation to photosynthesis and the epoxidation state of xanthophyll cycle components in cotton leaves.-Plant Physiol. 91: 542–551, 1989.
Boyer, J.S.: Plant productivity and environment.-Science 218: 443–448, 1982.
Bu, C.F., Liu, G.B., Zhang, W.H.: [Growth of characteristics of Sophora viciifolia population in the hilly and gully region of Loess Plateau.]-Acta bot. boreal.-occident. sin. 24: 1792–1797, 2004. [In Chin.]
Carter, E.B., Theodorou, M.K., Morris, P.: Responses of Lotus corniculatus to environmental change. I. Effects of elevated CO2, temperature and drought on growth and plant development.-New Phytol. 136: 245–253, 1997.
Castro-Diez, P., Puyravaud, J.P., Cornelissen, J.H.C.: Leaf structure and anatomy as related to leaf mass per area variation in seedlings of wide range of woody plant species and types.-Oecologia 124: 476–486, 2000.
Chaves, M.M., Oliveira, M.M.: Mechanisms underlying plant resilience to water deficits: prospects for water-saving agriculture.-J. exp. Bot. 55: 2365–2384, 2004.
Chen, S., Bai, Y., Zhang, L., Han, X.: Comparing physiological responses of two dominant grass species to nitrogen addition in Xilin River Basin of China.-Environ. exp. Bot. 53: 65–75, 2005.
Cordell, S., Goldstein, G., Mueller-Dombois, D., Webb, D., Vitousek, P.M.: Physiological and morphological variation in Metrosideros polymorpha, a dominant Hawaiian tree species, along an altitudinal gradient: the role of phenotypic plasticity.-Oecologia 113: 188–196, 1998.
DaMatta, F.M., Loos, R.A., Silva, E.A., Loureiro, M.E., Ducatti, C.: Effects of soil water deficit and nitrogen nutrition on water relations and photosynthesis of pot-grown Coffea canephora Pierre.-Trees 16: 555–558, 2002.
Egli, P., Schmid, B.: Relationships between leaf nitrogen and limitations of photosynthesis in canopies of Solidago altissima.-Acta oecol. 20: 559–570, 1999.
Ennahli, S., Earl, H.J.: Physiological limitations to photosynthetic carbon assimilation in cotton under water stress.-Crop Sci. 45: 2374–2382, 2005.
Fife, D.N., Nambiar, E.K.S.: Changes in the canopy and growth of Pinus radiata in response to nitrogen supply.-Forest Ecol. Manage. 93: 137–152, 1997.
Flexas, J., Bota, J., Loreto, F., Cornic, G., Sharkey, T.D.: Diffusive and metabolic limitations to photosynthesis under drought and salinity in C3 plants.-Plant Biol. 6: 269–279, 2004.
Flexas, J., Ribas-Carbó, M., Bota, J., Galmés, J., Henkle, M., Martínez-Cañellas, S., Medrano, H.: Decreased Rubisco activity during water stress is not induced by decreased relative water content but related to conditions of low stomatal conductance and chloroplast CO2 concentration.-New Phytol. 172: 73–82, 2006.
Grassi, G., Magnani, F.: Stomatal, mesophyll conductance and biochemical limitations to photosynthesis as affected by drought and leaf ontogeny in ash and oak trees.-Plant Cell Environ. 28: 834–849, 2005.
Havaux, M., Strasser, R.J., Greppin, H.: 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, 1991.
Hura, T., Hura, K., Grzesiak, M., Rzepka, A.: Effect of long-term drought stress on leaf gas exchange and fluorescence parameters in C3 and C4 plants.-Acta Physiol. Plant DOI 10.1007/s11738-006-0013-2, 2007.
Jeon, M.W., Ali, M.B., Hahn, E.J., Paek, K.Y.: Photosynthetic pigments, morphology and leaf gas exchange during ex-vitro acclimatization of micropropagated CAM Doritaenopsis plantlets under relative humidity and air temperature.-Environ. exp. Bot. 55: 183–194, 2006.
Jia, Y., Gray, V.M.: Interrelationships between nitrogen supply and photosynthetic parameters in Vicia faba L.-Photosynthetica 41: 605–610, 2003.
Kang, B., Liu, J.J., Xu, X.X. Bu, X.Q.: [The specific leaf weight of some common tree species in Loess Plateau area and its relationship with photosynthetic capacity.]-J. Southwest Forest Colleg. 25: 1–10, 2005. [In Chin.]
Krause, G.H., Weis, E.: Chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthesis: The basics.-Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant mol. Biol. 42: 313–349, 1991.
Li, F.L., Bao, W.K., Liu, J.H., Wu, N.: [Eco-anatomical characteristics of Sophora davidii (Franch.) Skeels leaves along an elevation gradient in the dry Minjiang River valley, China.]-Chin. J. appl. Ecol. 17: 5–10, 2006. [In Chin.]
Li, H.S., Sun, Q., Zhao, S.J., Zhang, W.H.: [Analytical Theory and Technology of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry.]-Pp. 134–137. Higher Education Press, Beijing 2000. [In Chin.]
Lima, J.D., Mosquim, P.R., Da Matta, F.M.: Leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in Phaseolus vulgaris as affected by nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency.-Photosynthetica 37: 113–121, 1999.
Livingston, N.J., Guy, R.D., Sun, Z.J., Ethier, G.J.: The effects of nitrogen stress on the stable carbon isotope composition, productivity and water use efficiency of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings.-Plant Cell Environ. 22: 281–289, 1999.
Lopes, M.S., Araus, J.L.: Nitrogen source and water regime effects on durum wheat photosynthesis and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition.-Physiol. Plant. 126: 435–445, 2006.
Makoto, K., Koike, T.: Effects of nitrogen supply on photosynthetic and anatomical changes in current-year needles of Pinus koraiensis seedlings grown under two irradiances.-Photosynthetica 45: 99–104, 2007.
Morgan, J.A.: Interaction of water supply and N in wheat.-Plant Physiol. 76: 112–117, 1984.
Morgan, J.A.: The effects of N nutrition on the water relations and gas exchange characteristics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).-Plant Physiol. 80: 52–58, 1986.
Osmond, C.B., Grace, S.C.: Perspectives on photoinhibition and photorespiration in the field: Quintessential inefficiencies of the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis?-J. exp. Bot. 46: 1351–1362, 1995.
Powles, S.B.: Photoinhibition of photosynthesis induced by visible light.-Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 35: 15–44, 1984.
Radin, J.W., Ackerson, R.C.: Water relations of cotton plants under nitrogen deficiency. III. Stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, and abscisic acid accumulation during drought.-Plant Physiol. 67: 115–119, 1981.
Ripullone, F., Lauteri, M., Grassi, G., Amato, M., Borghetti, M.: Variation in nitrogen supply changes water-use efficiency of Pseudotsuga menziesii and Populus × euroamericana; a comparison of three approaches to determine water-use efficiency.-Tree Physiol. 24: 671–679, 2004.
Roháček, K., Barták, M.: Technique of the modulated chlorophyll fluorescence: basic concepts, useful parameters, and some applications.-Photosynthetica 37: 339–363, 1999.
Rouhi, V., Samson, R., Lemeur, R., Van Damme, P.: Photosynthetic gas exchange characteristics in three different almond species during drought stress and subsequent recovery.-Environ. exp. Bot. 59: 117–129, 2007.
Saneoka, H., Moghaieb, R.E.A., Premachandra, G.S., Fujita, K.: Nitrogen nutrition and water stress effects on cell membrane stability and leaf water relations in Agrostis palustris Huds.-Environ. exp. Bot. 52: 131–138, 2004.
Shangguan, Z.P., Shao, M.A., Dyckmans, J.: Nitrogen nutrition and water stress effects on leaf photosynthetic gas exchange and water use efficiency in winter wheat.-Environ. exp. Bot. 44: 141–149, 2000.
Shaw, B., Thomas, T.H., Cooke, D.T.: Responses of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) to drought and nutrient deficiency stress.-Plant Growth Regul. 37: 77–83, 2002.
Sugiharto, B., Miyata, K., Nakamoto, H., Sasakawa, H., Sugiyama, T.: Regulation of expression of carbon-assimilating enzymes by nitrogen in maize leaf.-Plant Physiol. 92: 963–969, 1990.
Tezara, W., Marín, O., Rengifo, E., Martínez, D., Herrera, A.: Photosynthesis and photoinhibition in two xerophytic shrubs during drought.-Photosynthetica 43: 37–45, 2005.
Tezara, W., Mitchell, V.J., Driscoll, S.D., Lawlor, D.W.: Water stress inhibits plant photosynthesis by decreasing coupling factor and ATP.-Nature 401: 914–917, 1999.
Van Rensburg, L., Krüger, G.H.J.: Differential inhibition of photosynthesis (in vivo and in vitro), and changes in chlorophyll a fluorescence induction kinetics of four tobacco cultivars under drought stress.-J. Plant Physiol. 141: 357–365, 1993.
Vitousek, P.M., Aber, J.D., Howarth, R.W., Likens, G.E., Matson, P.A., Schindler, S.W., Schlesinger, W.H., Tilman, D.G.: Human alteration of the global nitrogen cycle: sources and consequences.-Ecol. appl. 7: 737–750, 1997.
Vitousek, P.M., Aplet, G., Turner, D., Lockwood, J.J.: The Mauna Loa environmental matrix: foliar and soil nutrients.-Oecologia 89: 372–382, 1992.
Walker, D.A.: Automated measurement of leaf photosynthetic O2 evolution as a function of photon flux density.-Phil. Trans. roy. Soc. London B 323: 313–326, 1989.
Wang, C., Bao, W., Chen, J., Sun, H., Xie, J.: [Profile characteristics and nutrients of dry cinnamon soils in dry valley of the upper Minjiang river.]-Chin. J. appl. environ. Biol. 9(3): 230–234, 2003. [In Chin.]
Wang, H.Z., Liang, Z.S., Han, R.L., Han, L.: [Effect of soil drought on seedling growth and dry matter allocation of four native tree species on Loess Plateau.]-J. Plant Resour. Environ. 14: 10–15, 2005a. [In Chin.]
Wang, H.Z., Liang, Z.S., Hao, W.F., Han, L.: [Physiological mechanism of Sophora viciifolia to adapt to soil drought.]-Agr. Res. Arid Areas 23: 106–110, 2005b. [In Chin.]
Wang, K.Y., Kellomäki, S.: Effects of elevated CO2 and soil-nitrogen supply on chlorophyll fluorescence and gas exchange in Scots pine, based on a branch-in-bag experiment.-New Phytol. 136: 277–286, 1997.
Wei, Z.: Flora of China. Vol. 40. Leguminosae.-Pp. 77–79. Sciences Press, Beijing 1994. [In Chin.]
Xue, Z.D., Han, R.L., Hou, Q.H., Wang, S.Q., Zhang, Z.S.: [Anatomical study of xeromorphism of leaves in cutting for five brushes in Yanpan region.]-Acta bot. boreali-occident. sin. 24: 1200–1206, 2004. [In Chin.]
Yin, C.Y., Berninger, F., Li, C.Y.: Photosynthetic responses of Populus przewalski subjected to drought stress.-Photosynthetica 44: 62–68, 2006.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wu, F.Z., Bao, W.K., Li, F.L. et al. Effects of water stress and nitrogen supply on leaf gas exchange and fluorescence parameters of Sophora davidii seedlings. Photosynthetica 46, 40–48 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-008-0008-x
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-008-0008-x