Effect of Canopy Position on the Susceptibility of Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) Leaves on Vines in an Orchard Environment to Photoinhibition Throughout the Growing Season

1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
DH Greer

Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev) C.F. Liang & A.R. Ferguson) plants grown in an orchard were studied over several seasons to assess the impact of photoinhibition on the leaves using chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic measurements. Leaves above were compared with those below the vine canopy. In addition, temperature and photon flux densities above and below the canopy were monitored. A gradient of sun to shade photosynthetic characteristics developed in leaves from above to below the canopy. There was a 10% higher Fv/Fm ratio in the shade leaves (0.810) but a 30% lower photosynthetic capacity and a 30% higher photon yield than in sun leaves. In addition, Fo and Fm were both higher (20-60%) in shade leaves. Little variation in Fv/Fm occurred throughout the growing season, except during spring, when Fv/Fm was about 0.4-0.5, especially in small, rapidly expanding leaves. Changes in Fv/Fm during spring were correlated with leaf diameter, indicating development of photosynthetic competence was an important factor in the rise in Fv/Fm. However, increasing night temperatures also correlated with the increase in Fv/Fm during spring.

2015 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosangela Catoni ◽  
Loretta Gratani ◽  
Francesco Sartori ◽  
Laura Varone ◽  
Mirko U. Granata

AbstractLeaf trait variations in five deciduous species (Quercus robur, Corylus avellana, Populus alba, Acer campestre, Robinia pseudoacacia) growing in an old broadleaf deciduous forest in response to light variation within the tree crown was analyzed. Net photosynthetic rate (PN), leaf respiration rate (R) and the photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency were, on average, more than 100% higher in sun than in shade leaves. A. campestre and C. avellana sun leaves had the highest specific leaf area (SLA, 156.0 ± 17.9 cm2 g-1) and the lowest total leaf thickness (L, 101.9 ± 8.8 μm) underlining their shade-tolerance. Among the shade-intolerant species (Q. robur, P. alba and R. pseudoacacia), Q. robur had the lowest SLA and the highest L in sun leaves (130.6 ± 10.0 cm2 g-1 and 160.8 ± 9.6 μm, respectively) since shade-intolerant species typically have thicker leaves. The higher PN decrease in respect to R decrease from sun to shade leaves attested the higher sensitivity of PN than R to light variations within the crown. This determined a 69% lower R/PN in sun than in shade leaves. This result is further attested by the significant correlation between PN and the relative photosynthetic photon flux density. The shade-tolerant species have a 76% higher R/PN ratio than the shade-intolerant ones. The measured leaf phenotypic plasticity (PI = 0.35) was in the range of broadleaf deciduous species. Plasticity is a key trait useful to quantify plant response to environmental stimuli. It is defined as the ability of a genotype to produce different phenotypes depending on the environment. Among the considered species, Q. robur showed the highest PI (0.39) and P. alba the lowest (0.29). Knowledge on phenotypic plasticity is important in making hypotheses about the dynamics of the studied forest in consideration of environmental stress factors, including invasive species competition and global climate change.


1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
O Bjorkman ◽  
B Demmig ◽  
TJ Andrews

Efficiencies of photosynthetic energy conversion were determined in sun and shade leaves of several mangrove species, growing in an open intertidal habitat in North Queensland, by measuring the maximum photon yield of O2 evolution and 77K chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics. Preliminary meas- urements confirmed that mangrove leaves have low water potentials, low stomatal conductances and low light-saturated CO2 exchange rates. Mangrove sun leaves therefore received a very large excess of excitation energy. Mangrove shade leaves had as high a photon yield of O2 evolution as non-mangrove leaves and their fluorescence characteristics were normal, showing that the energy conversion efficiency was unaffected by the high salinity. Mangrove sun leaves had markedly depressed photon yields and fluorescence was severely quenched showing that the efficiency of the photochemistry of photosystem II was reduced. The efficiency of energy conversion decreased with an increased radiation receipt. No such depression was detected in sun leaves of non-mangrove species growing in adjacent non-saline sites. Shading of man- grove sun leaves resulted in an increase in the efficiency of energy conversion but, in most species, more than 1 week was required for these leaves to reach the efficiency of shade leaves. Leaves exposed to direct sunlight had somewhat higher efficiencies in mangrove plants cultivated in 10% seawater as compared with full-strength seawater but the salinity of the culture solution had little effect on the increase in the efficiency upon shading. Field and laboratory fluorescence measurements indicated that the reduced efficiency of energy conversion in mangrove sun leaves resulted from a large increase in the rate constant for radiationless energy dissipation in the antenna chlorophyll rather than from damage to the photosystem II reaction centres. We propose that this increase in radiationless energy dissipation serves to protect the reaction centres against damage by excessive excitation.


2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis H. Greer ◽  
Alla N. Seleznyova ◽  
Steven R. Green

Canopy leaf area development and daily rates of carbon acquisition of kiwifruit [Actinidia deliciosa (A.�Chev.) C.F. Liang et A.R. Ferguson] vines growing in orchard conditions were modelled from mathematically-based physiological descriptions of leaf area expansion and photosynthesis of individual leaves Model drivers were temperatures and photon flux densities (PFD) measured in the orchard at 30-min intervals over the growing season. A modelling framework of shoot leaf area expansion, developed from controlled environment studies, was extended to whole vines by including canopy architectural components, such as shoot numbers, percentage budbreak and proportions of shoots in different length classes. Daily photosynthesis was modelled from rectangular hyperbolic functions determined for both sun and shade leaves and simulated from calculated light interception. Canopy leaf area, photosynthesis and PFDs within the canopy, obtained from measurements from vines grown in the orchard, were used to test the model. Close agreement occurred between the simulated and measured canopy leaf area development, and also between simulated and measured rates of photosynthesis. Total carbon acquisition over the growing season, estimated at 11 kg vine–1, compared closely with measured increments in vine biomass over the growing season. Results thus confirm the physiologically based model to be readily scalable to whole vines growing in orchard conditions.


Bragantia ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Pires de Lemos Filho ◽  
Élder Antônio Sousa Paiva

The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of the sooty mold on anatomy and photochemical activity of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) leaves. The photochemical features of shade-developed leaves with or without sooty mold were compared to those of sun leaves using chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. Leaf anatomy was also evaluated using conventional techniques. The degree of blockage of the photosynthetic active photon flux density (PPFD) by sooty mold and its effect on photochemistry were evaluated. Sun leaves showed thick mesophyll with palisade parenchyma disposed in a uniseriate layer, whereas shade leaves showed narrow mesophyll, independently of sooty mold presence. The effective quantum yield (deltaF/Fm') and the apparent electron transport rate (ETR) of sun leaves were higher than those of shade leaves. The values of ETR suggested that photochemistry saturation occurred at lower PPFD in shade-grown plants. Lower values of the deltaF/Fm' and, consequently, lower values of ETR were observed in leaves with sooty mold. A reduction of 40% of the incident light was seen due to physical blockage by sooty mold which is presumably responsible for an additional decrease of ETR values. Our data indicated that sooty mold did not directly damage the leaf, but reduce leaf photochemistry capacity, by decreasing light availability.


2009 ◽  
Vol 134 (3) ◽  
pp. 372-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Lombardini ◽  
Hermann Restrepo-Diaz ◽  
Astrid Volder

An experiment was conducted to investigate the morphologic characteristics and photosynthetic response of sun and shade leaves of mature pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] trees. Treatments were established according to leaf type (sun or shade leaves) and cultivar (Pawnee and Stuart). Sun leaves were chosen from those growing on exterior portions of the tree canopy and exposed to full sunlight for most of the day [≥1500 μmol·m−2·s−1 photosynthetic photon flux (PPF)]. Shade leaves were those growing in interior parts of the tree canopy (≤100 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPF). Epidermis characteristics, leaf area, and chlorophyll (Chl) content were also measured. Results indicated that stomatal density (stomata/mm2), leaf area, and leaflet area were greater in sun leaves than in shade leaves in both cultivars investigated. Specific leaf area was greater in shade leaves than sun leaves. Chlorophyll fluorescence, total Chl content, Chl a, Chl b, and Chl a/b were unaffected by leaf type or cultivar. In both cultivars, photosynthetic light response curves showed that area-based maximum assimilation rate (Amax) in shade leaves was about half of that measured in sun leaves in June through August. However, in October, Amax of sun leaves dropped to values similar to those measured in shade leaves. Light compensation point of photosynthesis and dark respiration rate were always lower in shade leaves than in sun leaves. Overall, there were only minor differences between the cultivars. Pecan trees require careful canopy management to avoid self shading and to maintain productivity. These results could help determine optimal levels of canopy light interception and could be used to develop canopy and crop management practices.


Botany ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth L. Stephens ◽  
Sonali Saha ◽  
Eric S. Menges

The variation in morphological traits and photosynthetic potentials associated with light conditions in the canopy can determine whole-plant function. However, leaf structure–function relationships are poorly studied in ecosystems experiencing nominal light attenuation. We examined morphological leaf traits (area, specific leaf area, thickness, revoluteness, length–width) and photosynthetic traits estimated from rapid light curves (PARsat, ETRmax, light harvesting efficiency α) in seven shrub species in two xeric upland ecosystems of Florida: rosemary scrub and sandhill. Across species and ecosystem types, shade leaves had greater specific leaf area, were thinner, and less revolute than sun leaves. Surprisingly, shade leaves had smaller areas than sun leaves. Three out of six species showed a tight relationship between morphological and photosynthetic traits. Species common to both sandhill and rosemary scrub ecosystems showed similar photosynthetic traits but greater sclerophylly in the scrub ecosystem. Overall, greater leaf thickness and greater leaf area of upper canopy leaves yielded higher photosynthetic capacities and saturation at higher photon flux densities compared with lower canopy leaves. Our results suggest that variation in leaf morphological traits governed by patterns in light availability have functional significance; however, ecosystem properties such as nutrient availability might also impact light-driven structure-function relationships.


1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 249 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Demmig-Adams ◽  
WW Iii Adams ◽  
BA Logan ◽  
AS Verhoeven

The effect of an acclimation to light stress during the growth of leaves on their response to high photon flux densities (PFDs) was characterised by quantifying changes in photosystem II (PSII) characteristics and carotenoid composition. During brief experimental exposures to high PFDs sun leaves exhibited: (a) much higher levels of antheraxanthin + zeaxanthin than shade leaves, (b) a greater extent of energy dissipation in the light-harvesting antennae, and (c) a greater decrease of intrinsic PSII efficiency that was rapidly reversible. During longer experimental exposures to high PFD, deep-shade leaves but not the sun leaves showed slowly developing secondary decreases in intrinsic PSII efficiency. Recovery of these secondary responses was also slow and inhibited by lincomycin, an inhibitor of chloroplast-encoded protein synthesis. In contrast, under field conditions all changes in intrinsic PSII efficiency in open sun-exposed habitats as well as understory sites with intense sunflecks appeared to be caused by xanthophyll cycle-dependent energy dissipation. Furthermore, comparison of leaves with different maximal rates of electron transport revealed that all leaves compensated fully for these differences by dissipating very different amounts of absorbed light via xanthophyll cycle-dependent energy dissipation, thereby all maintaining a similarly low PSII reduction state. It is our conclusion that an increased capacity for xanthophyll cycle-dependent energy dissipation is a key component of the acclimation of leaves to a variety of different forms of light stress, and that the response of leaves to excess light experienced in the growth environment is thus likely to be qualitatively different from that to sudden experimental exposures to PFDs exceeding the growth PFD.


1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1192-1195 ◽  
Author(s):  
France Goulet ◽  
Pierre Bellefleur

Sun leaves of five deciduous tree species were shaded, while shade leaves of the same species were exposed to direct rays of the sun prior to budbreak and during leaf expansion. Thickness, area, and density thickness (fresh weight per unit area) were measured and compared with sun and shade leaves that were used as a control. These parameters showed a considerable differentiation in leaf structure both for the control and treated leaves, particularly with very tolerant (American beech and sugar maple) and intermediate (yellow birch) species; this was apparently associated with the prevailing light conditions around a particular leaf from budbreak and during its development. Intermediate (red maple) and very intolerant (trembling aspen) species did not show true sun and shade leaves. The impact of these leaf adaptations on forest succession is also discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 222
Author(s):  
Miroslava Navrátilová ◽  
Markéta Beranová ◽  
Lucie Severová ◽  
Karel Šrédl ◽  
Roman Svoboda ◽  
...  

The aim of the presented article is to evaluate the impact of climate change on the sugar content of grapes in the Czech Republic during the period 2000–2019 through selected indicators on the basis of available secondary sources. Attention is focused on the developments in both the main wine-growing regions of Moravia and Bohemia. In the field of viticulture and wine-growing, the sugar content of grapes, as a basic parameter for the classification of wines, plays an important role. In the Czech Republic, the average sugar content of grapes has had a constantly growing trend. This trend is evident both in the wine-growing region of Bohemia and in the wine-growing region of Moravia. The impact of climate change, especially the gradual increase of average temperatures in the growing season, cannot be overlooked. It greatly affects, among other things, the sugar content of grapes. Calculations according to the Huglin Index and the Winkler Index were used to determine the relationship between climate and sugar content. These indexes summarize the course of temperatures during the entire vegetation period into a single numerical value. The results show that both indexes describe the effect of air temperature on sugar content in both wine regions of the Czech Republic in a statistically significant way. The Huglin Index shows a higher correlation rate. The Winkler Index proved to be less suitable for both areas. Alternatively, the Winkler Index calculated for a shorter growing season was tested, which showed a higher degree of correlation with sugar content, approaching the significance of the Huglin Index.


Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1726
Author(s):  
Nasr H. Gomaa ◽  
Ahmad K. Hegazy ◽  
Arafat Abdel Hamed Abdel Latef

Perennial shrub-annual plant interactions play key roles in desert regions influencing the structure and dynamics of plant communities there. In the present study, carried out in northwestern Saudi Arabia, we examined the effect of Haloxylon salicornicum shrubs on their associated understory annual species across four consecutive growing seasons, along with a record of the seasonal rainfall patterns. We measured density and species richness of all the annual species in permanent quadrats located beneath individual shrubs, as well as in the spaces between shrubs. During wet growing season H. salicornicum shrubs significantly enhanced the density and species richness of sub-canopy species, whereas in the relatively dry seasons they exerted negative effects on the associated species. In all growing seasons, the presence of shrubs was associated with enhanced soil properties, including increased organic carbon content, silt + clay, and levels of nutrients (N, P and K). Shrubs improved soil moisture content beneath their canopies in the wet growing season, while in the dry seasons they had negative effects on water availability. Differences in effects of H. salicornicum on understory plants between growing seasons seem due to the temporal changes in the impact of shrubs on water availability. Our results suggest the facilitative effects of shrubs on sub-canopy annuals in arid ecosystems may switch to negative effects with increasing drought stress. We discuss the study in light of recent refinements of the well-known “stress-gradient hypothesis”.


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