Phenotypic Plasticity in Photosynthetic Temperature Acclimation among Crop Species with Different Cold Tolerances    

Abstract

While interspecific variation in the temperature response of photosynthesis is well documented, the underlying physiological mechanisms remain unknown. Moreover, mechanisms related to species-dependent differences in photosynthetic temperature acclimation are unclear. We compared photosynthetic temperature acclimation in 11 crop species differing in their cold tolerance, which were grown at 15°C or 30°C. Cold-tolerant species exhibited a large decrease in optimum temperature for the photosynthetic rate at 360 mL L 21 CO 2 concentration [Opt (A 360 )] when growth temperature decreased from 30°C to 15°C, whereas cold-sensitive species were less plastic in Opt (A 360 ). Analysis using the C 3 photosynthesis model shows that the limiting step of A 360 at the optimum temperature differed between cold-tolerant and cold-sensitive species; ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylation rate was limiting in cold-tolerant species, while ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate regeneration rate was limiting in cold-sensitive species. Alterations in parameters related to photosynthetic temperature acclimation, including the limiting step of A 360 , leaf nitrogen, and Rubisco contents, were more plastic to growth temperature in cold-tolerant species than in cold-sensitive species. These plastic alterations contributed to the noted growth temperature-dependent changes in Opt (A 360 ) in cold-tolerant species. Consequently, cold-tolerant species were able to maintain high A 360 at 15°C or 30°C, whereas cold-sensitive species were not. We conclude that differences in the plasticity of photosynthetic parameters with respect to growth temperature were responsible for the noted interspecific differences in photosynthetic temperature acclimation between cold-tolerant and cold-sensitive species.

Biochemical acclimation, stomatal limitation and precipitation patterns underlie decreases in photosynthetic stimulation of soybean (Glycine max) at elevated [CO2] and temperatures under fully open air field conditions

“…While photosynthetic responses to climate change differ among species and genotypes [48,50,[61][62][63][64] the greater than expected acclimation of key photosynthetic processes reported here has important implications for C 3 photosynthesis beyond that of soybeans. Indeed, assessing the magnitude and direction of acclimation is crucial to our understanding of global carbon flux and food security because A modulates the largest exchange of carbon from the atmosphere into ecosystems and is an important determinant of crop yields.…”

Advances in physiological and molecular aspects of plant cold tolerance

“…Moreover, cold-tolerant species such as winter wheat, spinach, etc. have the capacity to maintain a high level of CO 2 assimilation rate whereas sensitive cold species do not have this capacity (Yamori et al 2010). Gusta and Wisniewski (2013) reported that energy is an essential factor to drive acclimation and that sugars have important effects on plant freezing tolerance, resiliency of photosynthesis under stress condition.…”

The Roles of ATP Synthase and the Cytochrome b 6/f Complexes in Limiting Chloroplast Electron Transport and Determining Photosynthetic Capacity

“…The whole portable gas exchange system was enclosed in a temperature-controlled cabinet (Yamori et al, 2005(Yamori et al, , 2006a(Yamori et al, , 2008(Yamori et al, , 2010b. The CO 2 assimilation rate (A) versus intercellular CO 2 concentration (C i ) was measured at a light intensity of 1,200 mmol photons m 22 s 21 under several measurement temperatures.…”