Inhibitory Action of Glufosinate on Photosynthesis

Abstract

Glufosinate (phosphinothricin) irreversibly blocks the glutamine synthetase which subsequently gives rise to an accumulation of ammonium and to a strong decrease in some amino acids, especially glutamine and glutamate. Under atmospheric conditions (400 ppm CO2, 21% O2) glufosinate causes a rapid inhibition of photosynthesis, too. H ow ever, under non-photo respiratory conditions (1000 ppm CO2, 2% O2) only a slight inhibition of photosynthesis occurs with glufosinate. Since under both conditions an accumulation of ammonium occurs, it is concluded that inhibition of photosynthesis is not induced by the higher concentrations of ammonium. The results rather suggest that the absence of amino donors in the glycolate pathway leads to a break-down of the transamination reaction of glyoxylate to glycine. This causes an inhibition of photorespiration and as a further consequence the inhibition of photosynthesis. There are two hypotheses for explaining this phenomenon. One of them supposes that the blockade in the glycolate pathway produces a lack of Calvin cycle intermediates which subsequently is the cause of the inhibition of photo synthesis. The other one suggests a direct inhibition of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase by the accumulation of glyoxylate and P-glycolate. After treatment with different intermediates of the Calvin cycle and photorespiration to gether with glufosinate no decrease in the inhibition of photosynthesis could be measured. This suggests that the inhibition of photosynthesis is not induced by a depletion of intermediates of the Calvin cycle. Tests on the effect of glyoxylate and P-glycolate on ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase activity showed that in crude leaves extracts the enzyme activity can only be inhibited by high concentrations of these substances. However, in intact spinach chloroplasts the enzyme activity can be blocked by using much lower concentrations of glyoxylate. This may indicate that the ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase activase is affected by this metabolite and that this may be the reason for an inhibition of photosynthesis after treatment with glufosinate.