Interference of skeleton photoperiod on circadian clock and photosynthetic efficiency of tea plant: In-depth analysis of mathematical model

Abstract

Abstract The circadian system of plants is a complex physiological mechanism, which is a biological process in which plants can adjust themselves according to the day and night cycle. To understand the effects of different photoperiods on the biological clock of tea plants, we analyzed the expression levels of core clock genes (CCA1, PRR9, TOC1, ELF4) and photosynthesis-related genes (Lhcb, RbcS, atpA) under normal light (light/dark =12 h/12 h, 12L12D) and took the cost function defined by cycle and phase errors as the basic model parameters. In the continuous light environment (light=24 h, 24L), the peak activity and cycle of key genes that control the biological clock and photosynthesis were delayed by 1 to 2 h. Under the skeleton photoperiod (light/dark=6 h/6 h, 6L6D; light/dark=3 h/3 h, 3L3D), the expression profiles of clock genes and photosynthesis-related genes in tea plants was changed, and stomatal opening showed a circadian rhythm. These observations suggest that bone photoperiod may have an effect on the circadian rhythm, photosynthetic efficiency and stomatal regulation of tea plants. Our study and model analyze the components of circadian rhythms under different photoperiodic pathways, and also reveal the underlying mechanisms of circadian regulation of photosynthesis in tea plants.