Skip to main content
Log in

Light and temperature dependent inhibition of photosynthesis in frost-hardened and un-hardened seedlings of pine

  • Regular Paper
  • Published:
Photosynthesis Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Needles of un-hardened and frost-hardended seedlings of Pinus sylvestris and Pinus contorta were exposed to photoinhibitory photon flux densities at temperatures between 0 and 35°C under laboratory conditions. Photoinhibition of photosynthesis was assayed by measuring oxygen evolution under saturating CO2 in a leaf disc oxygen electrode or by recording of photosystem II fluorescence induction kinetics at 77 K. It was demonstrated that frost hardening of pine did not affect the susceptibility of photosynthesis to short time (2 h) photoinhibition at 15°C. The two pine species irrespective of acclimative state were equally sensitive to photoinhibition as assayed by apparent photon yield analyses of photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Plots of the apparent photon yield of oxygen evolution vs. F v /F m revealed a non-linear relationship.

In the temperature range of 15–20°C short term photoinhibition caused a loss of F v without effect on F 0 . However, photoinhibition at temperatures lower or higher caused F 0 to increase and decrease, respectively. In fact the decrease of F v v /F upon lowering the temperature was mainly caused by the temperature effect on F 0 . Besides photoinhibition causing the well established quenching of F v by increased radiationless decay somewhere in the reaction center-antenna complex, it is suggested that F 0 generally increases as a result of loss of functional reaction centers causing decreased trapping of excitation energy. However, the high temperature induced quenching of F 0 suggests that the quenching process (or processes) induced under photoinhibitory conditions is temperature dependent; i.e. it increases with the increase of temperature.

In pine the photon yield of photosynthesis was much more sensitive to short term photoinhibition than was the rate of light saturated photosynthesis. This difference is explained by photosystem II and electron transport having surplus capacity relative to that of reductive carbon metabolism.

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

Access this article

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

References

  • Björkman O. and Demmig B. 1987. Photon yield of O2 evolution and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics at 77 K among vascular plants of diverse origin. Planta 170: 489–504.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradbury M. and Baker N.R. 1986 The kinetics of photoinhibition of the photosynthetic apparatus in pea chloroplasts. Plant Cell Environ 9: 289–297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler W.L. 1987 Energy distribution in the photochemical apparatus of photosynthesis. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 29: 345–378.

    Google Scholar 

  • Critchley C and Smillie R.M. 1981 Leaf chlorophyll fluorescence as an indicator of high light stress (photoinhibition) in Cucumis sativus L. Austr J Plant Physiol 8: 133–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deisenhofer J., Epp O., Miki K., Huber R. and Michel H. 1985 Structure of the subunits in the photosynthetic reaction center of Rhodopseudomonas viridis at 3 Å resolution. Nature 318: 618–624.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delieu T.J. and Walker D.A. 1981 Polarographic measurement of photosynthetic oxygen evolution in leaf discs. New Phytol 89: 165–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demmig B. and Björkman O. 1987 Comparison of the effect of excessive light on chlorophyll fluorescence (77 K) and photon yield of O2 evolution in leaves of higher plants. Planta 171: 171–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demmig B., Winter K., Krüger A. and Czygan F.-C. 1987 Photoinhibition and zeaxanthin formation in intact leaves. A possible role of the xanthophyll cycle in the dissipation of excess light. Plant Physiol 84: 218–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fork D.C., Öquist G. and Powles S.B. 1981 Photoinhibition in bean: a fluorescence analysis. Carnegie Inst of Wash Year Book 80: 52–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greer D.H., Berry J.A. and Björkman O. 1986 Photoinhibition of photosynthesis in intact bean leaves: role of light and temperature, and requirement of chloroplast-protein synthesis during recovery. Planta 168: 253–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause G.H., Köster S. and Wong S.C. 1985. Photoinhibition of photosynthesis under anaerobic conditions studied with leaves and chloroplasts of Spinacia oleracea L. Planta 165: 430–438.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kyle D.J. and Ohad I. 1986. The mechanism of photoinhibition in higher plants and green algae. In: Staehelin L.A. and Arntzen C.J. eds. Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology, New Series, Photosynthesis III, vol 19, pp 468–475. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kyle D.J., Ohad I. and Arnzen C.J. 1984 Membrane protein damage and repair: selective loss of a quinone-protein function in chloroplast membranes. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 81: 4070–4074.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsson U.K., Ögren E., Öquist G. and Andersson B. 1986. Electron transport and fluorescence studies on the functional interaction between phospho-LHC II and photosystem I in isolated stroma lamellae vesicles. Photochem Photophys 13: 29–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leverenz J.W. and Öquist G. 1987 Quantum yields of photosynthesis at temperatures between -2°C and 35°C in a cold-tolerant C3 plant (Pinus sylvestris) during the course of one year. Plant Cell Environ 20: 287–295.

    Google Scholar 

  • Long S.P., East T. and Baker N.R. 1983 Chilling damage to photosynthesis in young Zea mays I. Effects of light and temperature variation on photosynthetic CO2 assimilation. J exp Bot 34: 177–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin B., Mårtensson O. and Öquist G. 1978 Effects of frost hardening and dehardening on photosynthetic electron transport and fluorescence properties in isolated chloroplasts of Pinus silvestris. Physiol Plant 43: 297–305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neilson R.E., Ludlow M.M. and Jarvis P.G. 1972 Photosynthesis in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.). II. Response to temperature. J Appl Ecol 9: 721–745.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ögren E. and Öquist G. 1984 Photoinhibition of photosynthesis in Lemna gibba as induced by the interaction between light and temperature III. Chlorophyll fluorescence at 77 K. Physiol Plant 62: 193–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ögren E., Öquist G. and Hällgren J.-E. 1984. Photoinhibition of photosynthesis in Lemna gibba as induced by the interaction between light and temperature. I. Photosynthesis in vivo. 62: 181–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist G. 1987 Environmental stress and photosynthesis In: Biggins J., ed. Progress in Photosynthesis Research IV.1., pp 1–10, Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist G. and Ögren E. 1985 Effects of winter stress on photosynthetic electron transport and energy distribution between the two photosystems of pine as assayed by chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics. Photosynth Res 7: 19–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Öquist G., Greer D.H. and Ögren E. 1987 Light stress at low temperatures. In: Kyle D.J., Osmond C.B. and Atntzen C.J. eds. Topics in Photosynthesis. Photoinhibition, vol 9, pp 67–87.

  • Osmond C.B. 1981 Photorespiration and photoinhibition. Some implications for the energetics of photosynthesis. Biochim Biophys Acta 639: 77–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powles S.B. 1984 Photoinhibition of photosynthesis induced by visible light. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 35: 15–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powles S.B., Berry J.A. and Björkman O. 1983 Interaction between light and chilling temperature on the inhibition of photosynthesis in chilling-sensitive plants. Plant Cell Environ 6: 117–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raven J.A. and Samulesson G. 1988 Ecophysiology of Fucus spiralis L. at its nothern limit in the Gulf of Bothnia. Bot Mar 31: in press

  • Richards G.E. and Hall D.O. 1987 Photoinhibition at chilling temperatures in intact leaves and isolated chloroplasts of barley. In: Biggins J. ed. Progress in Photosynthesis Research IV.1., pp 39–42, Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samuelsson G., Lönneborg A., Rosenqvist E., Gustafsson P. and Öquist G. 1985 Photoinhibition and reactivation of photosynthesis in the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans. Plant Physiol 79: 992–995

    Google Scholar 

  • Samuelsson G., Lönneborg A., Gustafsson P. and Öquist G. 1987 The susceptibility of photosynthesis to photoinhibition and the capacity of recovery in high and low light grown cyanobacteria, Anacystis nidulans. Plant Physiol 83: 438–441.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stitt M. 1986 Limitation of photosynthesis by carbon metabolism. I. Evidence for excess electron transport capacity in leaves carrying out photosynthesis in saturating light and CO2. Plant Physiol 81: 1115–1122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strand M. and Öquist G. 1985a Inhibition of photosynthesis by freezing temperatures and high light levels in cold-acclimated seedlings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) I. Effects on the light-limited and light-saturated rates of CO2 assimilation. Physiol Plant 64: 425–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strand M. and Öquist G. 1985b Inhibition of photosynthesis by freezing temperatures and high light levels in cold-acclimated seedlings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). II. Effects on chlorophyll fluorescence at room temperature and 77 K. Physiol Plant 65: 117–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strand M. and Öquist G. 1988 Effects of frost hardening, dehardening and freezing stress on in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence of seedlings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Plant Cell Environ 11: 231–238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strain B.R., Higginbotham K.O. and Mulroy J.C. 1976 Temperature preconditioning and photosynthetic capacity of Pinus taeda L. Photosynthetica 10: 47–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trebst A. 1986. The topology of the plastoquinone and herbicide binding peptides of photosystem II in the thylakoid membrane. Z Naturforsch 41c: 240–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker D.A. and Osmond C.B. 1986 Measurement of photosynthesis in vivo with a leaf disc electrode: correlations between light dependence of steady-state photosynthetic O2 evolution and chlorophyll a fluorescence transients. Proc R Soc Lond B 227: 267–280.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Öquist, G., Malmberg, G. Light and temperature dependent inhibition of photosynthesis in frost-hardened and un-hardened seedlings of pine. Photosynth Res 20, 261–277 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034069

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00034069

Key words

Navigation