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Reduced sensitivity to photoinhibition following frost-hardening of winter rye is due to increased phosphate availability

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Abstract

The possibility of a role for phosphate metabolism in the photosynthetic regulation that occurs during frost hardening was investigated in winter rye (Secale cereale L. cv. Musketeer). Leaves of frost-hardened and non-hardened winter rye were studied during photosynthetic induction, and at steady state after being allowed to take up 20 mM orthophosphate through the transpiration stream for 3 h. At the growth irradiance (350 μmol·m-2·s-1) frost-hardening increased the stationary rate of CO2-dependent O2 evolution by 57% and 25% when measured at 5 and 20° C, respectively. Frosthardening also reduced the lag phase to stationary photosynthesis by 40% at 5° C and decreased the susceptibility of leaves to oscillations during induction and after interruption of the actinic beam during steady-state photosynthesis. These responses are all indicative of increased phosphate availability in frost-hardened leaves. As reported previously by Öquist and Huner (1993, Planta 189, 150–156), frost-hardening also decreased the reduction state of QA, the primary, stable quinone acceptor of PSII, and decreased the sensitivity of winter rye to photoinhibition of photosynthesis. Non-hardened rye leaves fed orthophosphate also showed an increased photosynthetic capacity (25% at 20° C and light saturation), lower reduction state of QA, a reduced sensitivity to photoinhibition and lower susceptibility to oscillations resulting from a brief interruption of the actinic light. Thus, the data indicate that phosphate metabolism plays a key role in photosynthetic acclimation of winter rye to low temperatures.

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Abbreviations

Fo and F′o :

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

Fm and F′m :

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

Fv :

variable fluoresence (Fm -Fo) in dark-acclimated leaves

F′v :

variable fluorescence (F′m-F′o) in light-acclimated leaves

PCR:

photosynthetic carbon reduction

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

QA :

the primary, stable quinone acceptor of PSII

qP :

photochemical quenching of fluorescence

qN :

non-photochemical quenching of fluorescence

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Physiology, University of Umeå, S-90187, Umeå, Sweden

    Vaughan M. Hurry, Per Gardeström & Gunnar Öquist

Authors
  1. Vaughan M. Hurry
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  2. Per Gardeström
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  3. Gunnar Öquist
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Additional information

This work was supported by the Swedish Natural Sciences Research Council. The authors are indebted to Dr. N. Huner, Department of Plant Sciences, UWO, London, Canada, for helpful discussions during the initiation of this work and for the gift of rye seeds.

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Hurry, V.M., Gardeström, P. & Öquist, G. Reduced sensitivity to photoinhibition following frost-hardening of winter rye is due to increased phosphate availability. Planta 190, 484–490 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224787

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