Light and temperature regulation of greening in dark‐grown ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

Abstract

The last steps of chlorophyll (Chl) biosynthesis were studied at different light intensities and temperatures in dark-germinated ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) seedlings. Pigment contents and 77 K fluorescence emission spectra were measured and the plastid ultrastructure was analysed. All dark-grown organs contained protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) forms with similar spectral properties to those of dark-grown angiosperm seedlings, but the ratios of these forms to each other were different. The short-wavelength, monomeric Pchlide forms were always dominating. Etioplasts with small prolamellar bodies (PLBs) and few prothylakoids (PTs) differentiated in the dark-grown stems. Upon illumination with high light intensities (800 micromol m(-2) s(-1) photon flux density, PFD), photo-oxidation and bleaching occurred in the stems and the presence of (1)O(2) was detected. When Chl accumulated in plants illuminated with 15 micromol m(-2) s(-1) PFD it was significantly slower at 10 degrees C than at 20 degrees C. At room temperature, the transformation of etioplasts into young chloroplasts was observed at low light, while it was delayed at 10 degrees C. Grana did not appear in the plastids even after 48 h of greening at 20 degrees C. Reaccumulation of Pchlide forms and re-formation of PLBs occurred when etiolated samples were illuminated with 200 micromol m(-2) s(-1) PFD at room temperature for 24 h and were then re-etiolated for 5 days. The Pchlide forms appeared during re-etiolation had similar spectral properties to those of etiolated seedlings. These results show that ginkgo seedlings are very sensitive to temperature and light conditions during their greening, a fact that should be considered for ginkgo cultivation.

Chlorophyll biosynthesis and chloroplast development in etiolated seedlings of Ginkgo biloba L.

“…In our previous study we determined the similar amount of Pchlide as Selstam et al (1987) in L. decidua and P. abies (Demko et al 2009). In the case of Ginkgo, the concentration of Pchlide is very low, as was also found by Mariani and Rascio (1982) and Skribanek et al (2008). ALA-synthesizing capacity is poor in the dark.…”

“…This is consistent with the results that seedlings of G. biloba germinated and grown in darkness showed complete etiolation with no Chl (a+b) ( Table 1). Chinn and Silverthorne (1993) and Skribanek et al (2008) detected also no or little Chl (a+b) in some individuals in dark-grown Ginkgo. Skribanek et al (2008) supposed that little Chl in some individuals came from the embryo via cell division.…”

“…Chinn and Silverthorne (1993) and Skribanek et al (2008) detected also no or little Chl (a+b) in some individuals in dark-grown Ginkgo. Skribanek et al (2008) supposed that little Chl in some individuals came from the embryo via cell division. Durchan et al (1992) and Böddi et al (1999) also found traces of Chl in etiolated angiosperms, which appear to be deposited into embryos during its formation rather than synthesized during dark period.…”

A novel insight into the regulation of light-independent chlorophyll biosynthesis in Larix decidua and Picea abies seedlings

“…Prolonged acclimation could be required to recover for photoperiodic growth. Similar situation was thoroughly investigated in etiolated Ginkgo biloba stems, which are not able to synthesized Chl in darkness (Skribanek et al 2008).…”

Stimulation of photosynthetic characteristics of Ginkgo biloba L. during leaf growth

“…Such unique characteristics of Ginkgo have attracted worldwide interest in plant science research. The genomics (Mohanta 2012) and the physiology (Skribanek et al 2008) of Ginkgo have been thoroughly investigated. Earlier research showed that photo-protection was significantly strengthened at the early stages of leaf expansion in Ginkgo under natural environmental conditions and photosynthetic decline in Ginkgo leaves during natural senescence (Yang et al 2012(Yang et al , 2013.…”