Sensitivity of two Ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana (Cvi and Te) towards UV‑B Irradiation

Abstract

The susceptibility of Arabidopsis thaliana towards the detrimental effect of UV-B irradiation was investigated using two ecotypes, Cvi and Te. The effect of UV-B treatment on primary photosynthetic reactions -energy interaction between the main pigment-protein complexes and oxygen evolution, was evaluated at low (4 • C) and at room (22 • C) temperature. UV-B-induced alterations of investigated photosynthetic reactions are better expressed at 22 • C than at 4 • C for Cvi. For Te ecotype the energy interaction was suppressed to higher extent at 22 • C, while oxygen evolving activity was affected similarly at both temperatures. At low and room temperature, the energy interaction in the complex PSII-core antenna is affected stronger by UV-B treatment than the energy distribution between both photosystems, as revealed by fluorescence ratios of 77 K spectra. The results presented indicate that the Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Cvi (Cape Verde Islands) is less affected by UV-B irradiation in respect to the investigated primary photosynthetic reactions than the ecotype Te (Finland).