Light dependence of quantum yields of Photosystem II and CO2 fixation in C3 and C4 plants

Abstract

The light dependence of quantum yields of Photosystem II (ΦII) and of CO2 fixation were determined in C3 and C4 plants under atmospheric conditions where photorespiration was minimal. Calculations were made of the apparent quantum yield for CO2 fixation by dividing the measured rate of photosynthesis by the absorbed light [A/I=ΦCO2 and of the true quantum yield by dividing the estimated true rate of photosynthesis by absorbed light [(A+Rl)/Ia=ΦCO2·], where RL is the rate of respiration in the light. The dependence of the ΦII/ΦCO2 and ΦII/ΦCO2 (*) ratios on light intensity was then evaluated. In both C3 and C4 plants there was little change in the ratio of ΦII/ΦCO2 at light intensities equivalent to 10-100% of full sunlight, whereas there was a dramatic increase in the ratio at lower light intensities. Changes in the ratio of ΦII/ΦCO2 can occur because respiratory losses are not accounted for, due to changes in the partitioning of energy between photosystems or changes in the relationship between PS II activity and CO2 fixation. The apparent decrease in efficiency of utilization of energy derived from PS II for CO2 fixation under low light intensity may be due to respiratory loss of CO2. Using dark respiration as an estimate of RL, the calculated ΦII/ΦCO2 (*) ratio was nearly constant from full sunlight down to approx 5% of full sunlight, which suggests a strong linkage between the true rate of CO2 fixation and PS II activity under varying light intensity. Measurements of photosynthesis rates and ΦII were made by illuminating upper versus lower leaf surfaces of representative C3 and C4 monocots and dicots. With the monocots, the rate of photosynthesis and the ratio of ΦII/ΦCO2 exhibited a very similar patterns with leaves illuminated from the adaxial versus the abaxial surface, which may be due to uniformity in anatomy and lack of differences in light acclimation between the two surfaces. With dicots, the abaxial surface had both lower rates of photosynthesis and lower ΦII values than the adaxial surface which may be due to differences in anatomy (spongy versus palisade mesophyll cells) and/or light acclimation between the two surfaces. However, in each species the response of ΦII/ΦCO2 to varying light intensity was similar between the two surfaces, indicating a comparable linkage between PS II activity and CO2 fixation.