Short-term temperature dependency of the photosynthetic and PSII photochemical responses to photon flux density of leaves of Vitis vinifera cv. Shiraz vines grown in field conditions with and without fruit.

Abstract

Shiraz vines grown outdoors with and without a crop load were used to determine photosynthetic and chlorophyll fluorescence responses to light across a range of leaf temperatures to evaluate the impact of presence/absence of a sink on these responses. Results indicate maximum rates of photosynthesis and light saturation in fruiting vines were biased towards higher temperatures whereas these processes in vegetative vines were biased towards lower temperatures. The maximum efficiency of PSII photochemistry was similarly biased, with higher efficiency for the vegetative vines below 30°C and a higher efficiency for the fruiting vines above. The quantum efficiency of PSII electron transport was generally higher across all temperatures in the fruiting compared with vegetative vines. Photochemical quenching was not sensitive to temperature in fruiting vines but strongly so in vegetative vines, with an optimum at 30°C and marked increases in photochemical quenching at other temperatures. Non-photochemical quenching was not strongly temperature dependent, but there were marked increases in both treatments at 45°C, consistent with marked decreases in assimilation. These results suggest demand for assimilates in fruiting vines induced an acclimation response to high summer temperatures to enhance assimilate supply and this was underpinned by comparable shifts in PSII photochemistry.