Leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence of Eucalyptus urophylla in response to Puccinia psidii infection

Abstract

One of the most important diseases of eucalyptus plantations is caused by the rust fungus Puccinia psidii. While the genetic basis of rust resistance has been addressed recently, little is known about the physiological aspects of Eucalyptus–P. psidii interaction. In order to fill this gap, we undertook a study investigating the effects of P. psidii infection on photosynthetic processes of two E. urophylla clones with contrasting resistance to the pathogen. Our results show that gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters were virtually unaffected in the resistant clone. In the susceptible clone, photosynthetic rates were chiefly constrained by biochemical limitations to carbon fixation. Photosynthesis was impaired only in symptomatic tissues since the reductions in photosynthetic rates were proportional to the diseased leaf area. Rust infection provoked chronic photoinhibition to photosynthesis in the susceptible clone. Overall, differences in the ability for light capture, use and dissipation may play a significant role in explaining the clonal differences in Eucalyptus in response to P. psidii infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the effect of rust infection on gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters in Eucalyptus.