Abstract
AbstractThe goal of this study was to investigate whether chilling tolerance of C4photosynthesis inMiscanthuscan be transferred to sugarcane by hybridization. Net leafCO2uptake (Asat) and the maximum operating efficiency of photosystemII(ФPSII) were measured in warm conditions (25 °C/20 °C), and then during and following a chilling treatment of 10 °C/5 °C for 11 day in controlled environment chambers. Two of three hybrids (miscanes), ‘US84‐1058’ and ‘US87‐1019’, did not differ significantly from the chilling tolerantM. ×giganteus‘Illinois’ (Mxg), forAsat, andΦPSIImeasured during chilling. For Mxg grown at 10 °C/5 °C for 11 days,Asatwas 4.4 μmol m−2s−1, while for miscane ‘US84‐1058’ and ‘US87‐1019’,Asatwas 5.7 and 3.5 μmol m−2s−1, respectively. Miscanes ‘US84‐1058’ and ‘US87‐1019’ and Mxg had significantly higher rates ofAsatduring chilling than three tested sugarcanes. A third miscane showed lower rates than Mxg during chilling, but recovered to higher rates than sugarcane upon return to warm conditions. Chilling tolerance of ‘US84‐1058’ was further confirmed under autumn field conditions in southern Illinois. The selected chilling tolerant miscanes have particular value for biomass feedstock and biofuel production and at the same time they can be a starting point for extending sugarcane's range to colder climates.
Highlights
Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) is one of the world’s most important crops
This study examines whether (i) the chilling tolerance of C4 photosynthesis in Miscanthus is apparent in the hybrids under controlled and field conditions; (ii) the hybrids show improved recovery of photosynthesis upon return to warm conditions relative to sugarcane; and (iii) the hybrids retain the high photosynthetic capacity of sugarcane under warm conditions, that is, is chilling tolerance achieved at the expense of capacity under warm conditions?
The lowest recovery of photosynthesis on return to warm conditions was observed for the sugarcane S. officinarum ‘Louisiana Purple’ (4% of the prechilling Asat and 21% of prechilling ФPSII), which was significantly lower than the Mxg control (P < 0.001)
Summary
Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) is one of the world’s most important crops. In 2013, sugarcane produced 1.9 billion tonnes of biomass, more than any other single crop, for sugar and bioenergy via ethanol and electricity (Botha & Moore, 2014; FAOSTAT, 2014). Sugarcane is grown commercially in over 100 countries on a total of 26.5 million hectares (data for 2013; FAOSTAT, 2014). Commercial sugarcane production is limited to tropical and subtropical environments, due to the crop’s limited tolerance to cold; southern Louisiana, USA, is perhaps where commercial production is the most challenged by cold. Agronomic success of modern sugarcane varieties can be explained by effective introgression of genes from wild germplasm, from S. spontaneum into S. officinarum, starting in the early 1900s (Daniels & Roach, 1987; D’Hont et al, 1996; Hoarau et al, 2001; Piperidis et al, 2010; Andru et al, 2011).
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