Plant Photosynthetic Performance Research Articles

Sub-lethal effects of metal(loid) contamination on the halophyte Sarcocornia quinqueflora with links to plant photosynthetic performance and biomass – A field study

Two saltmarsh locations within Lake Macquarie, NSW, Australia were selected to investigate the uptake and partitioning of metal(loid)s Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd and Pb in the Australian saltmarsh halophyte, Sarcocornia quinqueflora and the associated sub-lethal effects of metal(loid)s on plant health, including photosynthetic performance, biomass, and productivity. Metal(loid)s primarily accumulated to roots (BCF > 1). Barriers to transport were observed at the root to non-photosynthetic stem transition (TF < 1) for all metal(loid)s, suggesting this species is suitable for phytostabilisation. Sediment and plant tissue metal(loid) concentrations were significantly correlated with photosynthetic performance and plant biomass. As such, the action of sediment and tissue metal(loid)s on photosynthetic performance and the subsequent effect on biomass of S.quinqueflora appear to be suitable targets for molecular analyses to further elucidate mechanisms responsible for the observed adverse effects and the development of adverse outcome pathways.

Unveiling enhanced photosynthesis in tetraploid sour jujube through transcriptome analysis

ABSTRACT Polyploidization, which can potentially impact phenotypic traits and photosynthetic performance of plants, is an important goal in breeding. In this study, diploid sour jujube and autotetraploid ‘W219’ were examined to understand the effects of polyploidization on photosynthesis. By comparing the phenotypic and photosynthetic differences between ‘W219’ and diploid sour jujube, it was found that ‘W219’ exhibited increased leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, and plant height, as well as enhanced chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying these variations, comparative transcriptome analysis was conducted between ‘W219’ and diploid, resulting in the identification of 2892 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 993 up-regulated and 1899 down-regulated in ‘W219’. GO enrichment analysis revealed that most DEGs were related to biological processes, primarily enriched in metabolic processes. Further KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant differences in photosynthetic pathways between ‘W219’ and diploid, mainly involving key processes such as photosystem II, photosynthetic electron transport, and chloroplast protein synthesis. This study revealed the internal mechanism of enhanced photosynthesis in autotetraploid sour jujube ‘W219’ through comprehensive analysis at the morphological, physiological, and transcriptomic levels, providing a basis for explaining its unique photosynthetic characteristics.

Shrub interaction with oak seedlings under high herbivory pressure: The role of ontogeny, drought, and plant competition

Land use changes occurring during the last decades have caused new challenges in forest management of Mediterranean ecosystems, such as overpopulation of wild ungulates. This is causing serious impacts on forest regeneration, particularly increased seedling mortality of dominant tree species. This study aims to unravel whether oak seedlings could be facilitated by non-palatable shrubs under herbivory and drought stress to improve assisted oak regeneration. For this purpose, we planted one- and two-year-old seedlings of an evergreen oak (Quercus ilex L.) in a Mediterranean open shrubland, considering three factors: herbivore exposure (with or without herbivores), seedling age (one- vs. two-year-old seedlings), and shrub cover (seedlings planted under non-palatable shrubs Cistus ladanifer or in open microsites). We evaluated seedling survival and performance monthly along the growing season (February-September), and measured physiological traits in May, just prior to the drought season. Our results revealed that herbivores, mostly wild boar (Sus scrofa), were the main cause of mortality from February to late May, while drought was responsible of mortality from early June to September. Almost all seedlings died within the first year of plantation after a severe long summer. Leaf predawn water potential and leaf stomatal conductance of one-year-old seedlings were lower under shrubs than in open microsites, a negative effect of shrubs that was not evident in the two-year-old seedlings. Plant photosynthetic performance of two-year old seedlings was higher under shrubs than in open microsites. Interestingly, the net effect of shrubs as facilitators (measured monthly through chlorophyll content) was greater in areas with no herbivores, probably due to the strong difference in herbaceous plant cover between open areas and under shrubs. Our results suggest that facilitation of Q. ilex seedlings by C. ladanifer shrub is weak under herbivory pressure and strongly depends on seedling age as shrubs seem to mostly compete for water with one-year-old seedlings and alleviate photoinhibition in two-year-old seedlings. This study reveals the possible use of two-year-old seedlings under very specific conditions, but some important inconveniences may arise as they are more stressed in the open microsites (ungulate induced mortality was similar for one and two-year old oak seedlings) and require more resources (e.g., time, energy and water) before plantation than one-year-old seedlings. We conclude that the age of plant material must be taken into account when planning oak restoration practices that can potentially benefit from the facilitative effects of shrubs under moderate biotic and abiotic stress.

Response of plastic film mulched maize to soil and atmospheric water stresses in an arid irrigation area

Water stress can severely decrease crop productivity by restricting photosynthesis, while the use of plastic film mulching can mitigate these water stress effects. However, the intricacies of photosynthetic and stomatal responses to soil water stress under plastic film mulching, particularly when combined with atmospheric water stress, have not been well studied, especially in arid irrigation areas. Limited research has investigated photosynthetic chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, stomatal responses, grain filling process and crop productivity to soil and atmospheric water stress under plastic film mulching. Our study addresses this knowledge gap through a comprehensive field experiment in an arid irrigation area involving maize (Zea mays L.). Well-watered and water deficit conditions with and without plastic film mulching treatments, alone or combined with atmospheric water stress (different vapor pressure deficits) were conducted. Our findings revealed that soil water stress significantly increased stomatal limitations (by 6.4–12.4 %) and may cause non-stomatal limitations. Plastic film mulching significantly improved plant photosynthetic performance (increased net photosynthesis rate by 12.2–39.8 %), chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and stomatal regulation. Under mulched conditions, soil water stress primarily affected photosynthetic performance through stomatal limitations. Moreover, plastic film mulching significantly improved grain filling process (increased grain-filling rate by 6.3–78.5 %) and productivity (increased grain yield by 12.1–45.8 %) in spring maize subjected to soil water stress. Atmospheric water stress, alone or combined with soil water stress, influenced plant photosynthetic performance, decreasing the net photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductance. Mulching enhanced photosynthetic performance under atmospheric water stress. Overall, the positive effect of mulching on spring maize photosynthetic performance and productivity under soil and atmospheric water stresses holds promise for alleviating water resource shortages and addressing global climate warming issues in arid irrigation areas.

Rice resistance against Bipolaris oryzae infection is mediated by lower foliar potassium concentration

AbstractBrown spot, caused by Bipolaris oryzae, is a very important disease of rice. This study investigated the effect of potassium (K) on rice resistance to brown spot. The working hypothesis tested was that higher foliar K concentration could allow plants to respond more efficiently against fungal infection. Plants were grown in nutrient solution amended with three K rates (0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 mM) and noninoculated or inoculated with B. oryzae. The photosynthetic performance of plants, activities of defence and antioxidant enzymes and the concentrations of reactive oxygen species, phenolics and lignin were determined. Foliar K concentration was significantly higher by 38% and 91% for plants supplied with 1.0 and 2.5 mM K, respectively, compared to plants supplied with 0.5 mM K. Brown spot severity was significantly higher (≥20%) for plants supplied with 1.0 and 2.5 mM K than those supplied with 0.5 mM K (≤15%). Higher brown spot severity for plants supplied with 2.5 mM K resulted in changes in the photosynthetic apparatus, reduced chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids concentrations, and higher production of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion radical. In contrast, higher activities of defence and antioxidant enzymes and more production of phenolics for plants supplied with 0.5 mM K helped them to cope with B. oryzae infection more efficiently. In conclusion, rice resistance against brown spot was achieved by keeping a lower foliar K concentration linked to more active defence reactions, a robust antioxidative system and less damage to the photosynthetic apparatus.

Impacts of Melatonin on Functionalities of Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment

Constructed wetlands (CWs) are effective wastewater treatment systems, relying on plant and substrate uptake and microbial depletion to remove pollutants. It has been reported that melatonin can promote plant growth and change the structure of microbial communities. The effects of melatonin on stress tolerance of plants have been extensively studied, while the effects of melatonin on the efficiency of wastewater treatment in constructed wetlands are rarely known. In the current study, 1 mM melatonin was added to the constructed wetland systems to determine physiological characteristics of Phragmites australis, microbial enzyme activity, and microbial community structure of CWs. Under melatonin treatment, the An and gs of Phragmites australis plants were significantly improved compared with the control. In addition, the contents of phosphate and total anion in the xylem sap of Phragmites australis significantly increased. However, the concentration of total phosphorus in the effluent did change significantly. Melatonin treatment improved the dehydrogenase activity and significantly improved the removal efficiency of NH4+-N in CWs. Furthermore, melatonin reduced the richness of the microbial community in CWs, while it increased the diversity of bacterial community and altered microbial composition. FARPROTAX analysis showed that melatonin increased the abundance of bacteria involved in nitrogen fixation and ureolysis, which may be related to the improvement of plant photosynthetic performance and improved rhizosphere oxygen environment. These results suggested that melatonin may affect plant performance and microbial composition and functions to improve the purification effect of constructed wetland.

Synergistic effect of Bacillus and Rhizobium on cytological and photosynthetic performance of Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc. Grown in Cr (VI) contaminated soil

Macrotyloma uniflorum (horse gram) is considered an under-utilized legume crop despite its nutritional and medicinal values. In India, it has wide acceptance among farming communities. This investigation emphasized on the possible application of two endosymbionts (Bacillus sp. AS03 and Rhizobium sp. AS05) of horse gram cultivated on Cr (VI)-contaminated soil. The photosynthetic performance (PIφ) of Cr treated plants co-inoculated with AS03 and AS05 was significantly improved compared with non-inoculated Cr treated plants based on photosynthetic yield, which was evidenced from the rise in the fluorescence at I–P transient and rate of photosynthesis (pN), indicating synergistic action between plant and bacteria (AS03 and AS05). The smooth electron transport from PS II to PS I was achieved in the Cr stressed plants inoculated with both the bacterial strains. The detrimental effects of Cr toxicity on the root tips were also minimized with bioinoculation as revealed from mitotic index. Plants with dual inoculation of AS03 and AS05 had significantly lesser chromosomal aberration in the roots. Dual inoculation biochar or seed inoculation have beneficial impact on the plant photosynthetic performance along with improved growth of roots in plants treated with Cr (VI). The results of the current work suggest the possitive effect of dual inoculation of Cr tolerant endosymbionts, Bacillus sp. (AS03) and nodulating Rhizobium sp. (AS05), in reducing cytological as well as physiological stress of plants in Cr (VI) contaminated soil.

Microbial Inoculation Improves Growth, Nutritional and Physiological Aspects of Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Considering a scenario where there is a low availability and increasing costs of fertilizers in the global agricultural market, as well as a finitude of important natural resources, such as phosphorus (P), this study tested the effect of the inoculation of rhizospheric or endophytic microorganisms isolated from Hymenaea courbaril and Butia purpurascens on the growth promotion of Glycine max (L.) Merr. The tests were conducted in a controlled greenhouse system, and the effects of biofertilization were evaluated using the following parameters: dry biomass, nutritional content, and photochemical and photosynthetic performance of plants. Seed biopriming was performed with four bacterial and four fungal isolates, and the results were compared to those of seeds treated with the commercial product Biomaphos®. Overall, microbial inoculation had a positive effect on biomass accumulation in G. max, especially in strains PA12 (Paenibacillus alvei), SC5 (Bacillus cereus), and SC15 (Penicillium sheari). The non-inoculated control plants accumulated less nutrients, both in the whole plant and aerial part, and had reduced chlorophyll index and low photosynthetic rate (A) and photochemical efficiency. Strains PA12 (P. alvei), SC5 (B. cereus), and 328EF (Codinaeopsis sp.) stood out in the optimization of nutrient concentration, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance. Plants inoculated with the bacterial strains PA12 (P. alvei) and SC5 (B. cereus) and with the fungal strains 328EF (Codinaeopsis sp.) and SC15 (P. sheari) showed the closest pattern to that observed in plants treated with Biomaphos®, with the same trend of direction of the means associated with chlorophyll index, (A), dry mass, and concentration of important nutrients such as N, P, and Mg. We recommend the use of these isolates in field tests to validate these strains for the production of biological inoculants as part of the portfolio of bioinputs available for G. max.

Light Quality Modulates Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Properties of B. vulgaris L. Plants from Seeds Irradiated with High-Energy Heavy Ions: Implications for Cultivation in Space.

Beta vulgaris L. is a crop selected for cultivation in Space for its nutritional properties. However, exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) can alter plant photosynthetic performance and phytochemical production in the extraterrestrial environment. This study investigated if plant growth under different light quality regimes (FL—white fluorescent; RGB—red–green–blue; RB—red–blue) modifies the photosynthetic behavior and bioactive compound synthesis of plants sprouted by dry seeds irradiated with carbon or titanium high-energy ions. The study evidenced that: (i) the plant response depends on the type of heavyion; (ii) control and C-ion-irradiated plants were similar for photosynthetic pigment content and PSII photochemical efficiency, regardless of the LQ regime; (iii) under FL, net photosynthesis (AN) and water use efficiency (iWUE) declined in C- and Ti-ion plants compared to control, while the growth of irradiated plants under RGB and RB regimes offset these differences; (iv) the interaction Ti-ion× RB improved iWUE, and stimulated the production of pigments, carbohydrates, and antioxidants. The overall results highlighted that the cultivation of irradiated plants under specific LQ regimes effectively regulates photosynthesis and bioactive compound amounts in leaf edible tissues. In particular, the interaction Ti-ion × RB improved iWUE and increased pigments, carbohydrates, and antioxidant content.

Evaluation of long-term carbon sequestration of biochar in soil with biogeochemical field model

Return of biomass-derived biochar (BC) into soil has been considered as one of the carbon sequestration (CS) methods. It is important to evaluate the long-term biochar CS potential by integrating the complex physical interferences and biochemical reactions in real soil. This study incorporated biochar into a biogeochemical field model and established a daily-resolution simulator to assess 5-, 50-, 500-year CS potential upon Soil-Biochar-Plant interaction. Through the scenario simulation of burying 7.5–75 t/ha BC-C in a 50 cm-depth rainfed cropland soil with corn planted, we found biochar could retain 483–557 kg C/t BC-C after 500 years' natural decomposition, although soil pedoturbation and plant erosion accelerated its mineralization. Moreover, biochar provided labile-C to compensate microbial decomposition and modified long-term soil climate, resulting in a decrease in soil organic carbon degradation of 44–265 kg C/t BC-C. Furthermore, biochar promoted plant photosynthetic performance by offering exogenous nutrients, equivalent to capturing 66–1039 kg C/t BC-C over 50 years. But biochar limited endogenous nutrient release and inhibited plant growth after exogenous nutrients exhausted, so total CS decreases yearly after reaching an upper limit (1030–1722 kg C/t BC-C). A total of 651–725 kg C/t BC-C could be sequestered after 500 years. And biochar is more potential in infertile and arid soils. Overall, this study indicates the necessity of taking the biogeochemical reactions into consideration to assess biochar long-term CS, and it further demonstrates biochar soil implementation is a prospective carbon-negative strategy.

Effect of Magnetopriming on Photosynthetic Performance of Plants.

Magnetopriming has emerged as a promising seed-priming method, improving seed vigor, plant performance and productivity under both normal and stressed conditions. Various recent reports have demonstrated that improved photosynthesis can lead to higher biomass accumulation and overall crop yield. The major focus of the present review is magnetopriming-based, improved growth parameters, which ultimately favor increased photosynthetic performance. The plants originating from magnetoprimed seeds showed increased plant height, leaf area, fresh weight, thick midrib and minor veins. Similarly, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, efficiency of PSII, quantum yield of electron transport, stomatal conductance, and activities of carbonic anhydrase (CA), Rubisco and PEP-carboxylase enzymes are enhanced with magnetopriming of the seeds. In addition, a higher fluorescence yield at the J-I-P phase in polyphasic chlorophyll a fluorescence (OJIP) transient curves was observed in plants originating from magnetoprimed seeds. Here, we have presented an overview of available studies supporting the magnetopriming-based improvement of various parameters determining the photosynthetic performance of crop plants, which consequently increases crop yield. Additionally, we suggest the need for more in-depth molecular analysis in the future to shed light upon hidden regulatory mechanisms involved in magnetopriming-based, improved photosynthetic performance.

Light Quality-Dependent Regulation of Non-Photochemical Quenching in Tomato Plants.

Simple SummaryPhotosynthetic organisms, such as land plants, evolved to utilize available light and to use its energy to assimilate carbon dioxide and produce carbohydrates. However, the light intensity often exceeds the ability of plants to successfully utilize absorbed energy, thus inducing stress, manifested by an increased radical concentration inside plant cells and disruption of the inner structures, and consequently decreased plant yield. Plants solve this problem by using a mechanism termed non-photochemical quenching, by which they can dissipate the energy not used in photosynthesis. Modern agriculture, however, also involves indoor plant farming. For indoor plant farming LED-based lighting systems, with non-saturating light intensities, are suitable based on their restricted energy consumption. However, the composition of applied light should first be optimized to maximize its utilization. Our study examined the influence of monochromatic LEDs (red, green, and blue) on the photoprotective and photosynthetic properties of tomato plants. We indicate that monochromatic green light could be considered an important component of lighting systems to alleviate energy dissipation, while blue light enhances photosynthetic efficiency. Our study not only proves the crucial importance of spectrum optimization but also provides evidence that different light wavelengths modify photosynthetic and photoprotective properties.Photosynthetic pigments of plants capture light as a source of energy for photosynthesis. However, the amount of energy absorbed often exceeds its utilization, thus causing damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. Plants possess several mechanisms to minimize such risks, including non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), which allows them to dissipate excess excitation energy in the form of harmless heat. However, under non-stressful conditions in indoor farming, it would be favorable to restrict the NPQ activity and increase plant photosynthetic performance by optimizing the light spectrum. Towards this goal, we investigated the dynamics of NPQ, photosynthetic properties, and antioxidant activity in the leaves of tomato plants grown under different light qualities: monochromatic red (R), green (G), or blue (B) light (L) at 80 µmol m−2 s−1 and R:G:B = 1:1:1 (referred to as the white light (WL)) at 120 µmol m−2 s−1. The results confirm that monochromatic BL increased the quantum efficiency of PSII and photosynthetic pigments accumulation. The RL and BL treatments enhanced the NPQ amplitude and showed negative effects on antioxidant enzyme activity. In contrast, plants grown solely under GL or WL presented a lower amplitude of NPQ due to the reduced accumulation of NPQ-related proteins, photosystem II (PSII) subunit S (PsbS), PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION-LIKE1 (PGRL1), cytochrome b6f subunit f (cytf) and violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE). Additionally, we noticed that plants grown under GL or RL presented an increased rate of lipid peroxidation. Overall, our results indicate the potential role of GL in lowering the NPQ amplitude, while the role of BL in the RGB spectrum is to ensure photosynthetic performance and photoprotective properties.

High-throughput field phenotyping reveals genetic variation in photosynthetic traits in durum wheat under drought.

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) is a powerful non-invasive technique for probing photosynthesis. Although proposed as a method for drought tolerance screening, ChlF has not yet been fully adopted in physiological breeding, mainly due to limitations in high-throughput field phenotyping capabilities. The light-induced fluorescence transient (LIFT) sensor has recently been shown to reliably provide active ChlF data for rapid and remote characterisation of plant photosynthetic performance. We used the LIFT sensor to quantify photosynthesis traits across time in a large panel of durum wheat genotypes subjected to a progressive drought in replicated field trials over two growing seasons. The photosynthetic performance was measured at the canopy level by means of the operating efficiency of Photosystem II ( ) and the kinetics of electron transport measured by reoxidation rates ( and ). Short- and long-term changes in ChlF traits were found in response to soil water availability and due to interactions with weather fluctuations. In mild drought, and were little affected, while was consistently accelerated in water-limited compared to well-watered plants, increasingly so with rising vapour pressure deficit. This high-throughput approach allowed assessment of the native genetic diversity in ChlF traits while considering the diurnal dynamics of photosynthesis.

The love-hate relationship between chlorophyll a and water in PSII affects fluorescence products

Chlorophyll a (Chl a) has an asymmetrical molecular organization, which dictates its orientation and the location of the pigment in the mature photosynthetic apparatus. Although Chl a fluorescence (ChlF) is widely accepted as a proxy for plant photosynthetic performance under countless stress conditions and across species, a mechanistic understanding of this causality is missing. Since water plays a much greater role than solvent for the photosynthetic machinery, elucidating its influence on Chl a may explain the reliable reflection of plant stress response in the ChlF signal. We examine the effect of hydration from well-watered to lethal drought on ChlF imagery results across morphologically diverse species to begin testing the impact of molecular scale hydration of Chl a on ChlF. Our results support a conceptual model where water is an integral part of the photosystems' structure and directly influences Chl a behavior leading to changes in the energy partitioning and ultimately in ChlF.

Further insights into how low-light signaling delays leaf senescence in soybean under high-temperature

Plants go through several physiological modifications in their life cycle. Leaf senescence (LS) occurs at the later stage of plant development but can also be initiated by high temperature (HT) stress. LS involves the breakdown of certain key developmental processes in plants, which affect leaf greenness, thereby decreasing plant photosynthetic performance. Light signaling pathway modulates plant growth processes under high-temperature stress, suggesting that light and temperature signaling pathways are linked. However, our knowledge of how light signaling pathways delay LS in soybean under HT remains incomplete. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how low light signaling pathway delays LS in soybean under HT stress. The results showed that low light signaling delayed LS in soybean under high-temperature stress. Our gas exchange analysis showed that low light signaling improved soybean photosynthetic process and chlorophyll contents under HT stress. Further analysis indicated that low light treatment improved soybean soluble sugar, starch, and free amino acids of plants exposed to HT stress. The phytohormones analysis suggested that under low light, plants accumulated endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) when exposed to HT stress. The transcriptional analysis suggested that soybean STAY-GREEN genes (GmSGR1and GmSGR2), sucrose phosphate synthase genes (GmSPS1 and GmSPS2), and starch synthase genes (GmAGP1 and GmUGP1−1) were upregulated in the high-temperature and low light treatment. Again, the JA defense pathway genes GmPDF1.2, GmJAR1.1 GmFAD3.1, and GmPR4.2 expression levels were significantly upregulated in the high-temperature and low light treatment as compared to SA defense pathway genes GmSID2, GmEDS5, GmNPR1, and GmPR1. The regulation mechanisms involving how low light signaling delays leaf senescence in soybean under high temperature through improved photosynthetic rate and JA defense signaling activation are discussed.

Diurnal and Seasonal Variations in the Photosynthetic Characteristics and the Gas Exchange Simulations of Two Rice Cultivars Grown at Ambient and Elevated CO2.

Investigating the diurnal and seasonal variations of plant photosynthetic performance under future atmospheric CO2 conditions is essential for understanding plant adaptation to global change and for estimating parameters of ecophysiological models. In this study, diurnal changes of net photosynthetic rate (Anet), stomatal conductance (gs), and photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv′/Fm′) were measured in two rice cultivars grown in the open-top-chambers at ambient (∼450 μmol mol–1) and elevated (∼650 μmol mol–1) CO2 concentration [(CO2)] throughout the growing season for 2 years. The results showed that elevated (CO2) greatly increased Anet, especially at jointing stage. This stimulation was acclimated with the advance of growing season and was not affected by either stomatal limitations or Rubisco activity. Model parameters in photosynthesis model (Vcmax, Jmax, and Rd) and two stomatal conductance models (m and g1) varied across growing stages and m and g1 also varied across (CO2) treatments and cultivars, which led to more accurate photosynthesis and stomatal conductance simulations when using these cultivar-, CO2-, and stage- specific parameters. The results in the study suggested that further research is still needed to investigate the dominant factors contributing to the acclimation of photosynthetic capacity under future elevated CO2 conditions. The study also highlighted the need of investigating the impact of other environmental, such as nitrogen and O3, and non-environmental factors, such as additional rice cultivars, on the variations of these parameters in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance models and their further impacts on simulations in large scale carbon and water cycles.

Effects of vegetal- versus animal-derived protein hydrolysate on sweet basil morpho-physiological and metabolic traits

Despite scientific evidence supporting the biostimulant activity of protein hydrolysates (PHs) derived from vegetal or animal sources, the morpho-physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying the biostimulant action of PHs from plant biomass or animal by-products are still poorly explored. Accordingly, we performed a greenhouse experiment for assessing the morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) to three nitrogen equivalent rates (0.05, 0.15, and 0.25 g N/kg) of an animal-derived protein hydrolysate (A-PH) and a vegetal-derived protein hydrolysate (V-PH). The V-PH and A-PH applications determined a quadratic-dose response regarding the number and area of leaves and the shoot fresh and dry weight, with the best results obtained using V-PH at the N equivalent rates of 0.05 and 0.15 g N/kg. Improvement of shoot fresh weight with V-PH foliar application at the rate of 0.15 g N/kg was associated with a higher leaf CO2 assimilation and water use efficiency, with a concomitant higher uptake and translocation of K, Mg, and S in leaf tissue. The excessive accumulation of Na, Cl, and some amino acids (e.g., proline) under A-PH applications above 0.05 g N/kg induced a rapid decrease in plant photosynthetic performance, growth, and biomass production. The plants treated with A-PH at a higher dosage appeared to activate an alternative pathway involving the synthesis of alanine and GABA for storing excess ammonia, buffering cytoplasmic acidosis, and counteracting the negative effects of Na and Cl at toxic levels. The above findings demonstrated the potential benefits of protein hydrolysate application in agriculture, especially of vegetal-derived PHs, and highlighted the need to understand dose-dependent effects in order to optimize crop response.

Priming with zinc oxide nanoparticles improve germination and photosynthetic performance in wheat

The present study is the first attempt to demonstrate the beneficiary effects of seed priming with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in wheat cultivar H–I 1544. Wheat seeds primed with ZnO NPs (10 mg/L) showed a significant positive influence on seed germination performance and vigour index as compared to unprimed (control) and hydroprimed seeds. Furthermore, nanopriming also enhanced seed water uptake resulting in enhanced α-amylase activity. Content of photosynthetic pigments in nanoprimed plants (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll content) was significantly enhanced. Chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements were performed 30 days after cultivation of nanoprimed seeds to investigate the effect of nanopriming on plant photosynthetic performance. Results suggested that ZnO NPs affects the overall primary photochemistry by enhancing the performance of water splitting complex at donor side of PSII (Fv/Fo). The numbers of active reaction centres (RC) per chlorophyll molecule were increased in nanoprimed plants followed by increase in the absorption (ABS), efficiency of excitation energy trapping (TR) and electron transport (ET) from active reaction centres. The impact of nanopriming on oxidative status of plants was also studied by measuring the activity enzymes like peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and degree of lipid peroxidation. A prominent decrease in the activity of these enzymes was observed which may be attributed to low reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in nanoprimed plants as compared to control. This is the first report showing ZnO NPs as a promising seed priming agent to improve germination as well as photosynthetic performance of wheat seeds.

Yield and photosynthetic attributes of sunflower cultivars grown under supplemental irrigation in the semiarid region of the Brazilian Northeast

Abstract: The objective of this work was to identify the sunflower (Helianthus annuus) cultivar with the highest yield potential for cultivation in the semiarid region of the Brazilian Northeast, under field conditions, with supplementary irrigation. Plant photosynthetic performance and yield were determined in field trials. The experiments were carried out in a randomized complete block design with 12 cultivars planted at 0.70x0.30 m. Net photosynthetic rates above 27 μmol m-2 s-1 and average achene yield of 2,364.68 kg ha-1 and oil yield 961.96 of kg ha-1 were determined. This performance was achieved due to: high stomatal conductance in 'Aguara 4', 'BRS 322', and 'CF101', low water loss through transpiration in 'M 734', 'BRS 321', 'BRS 324', 'BRS 387', and 'Helio 251', or high-intrinsic photosynthetic efficiency in 'Helio 251' and 'BRS 387'. Most cultivars provided grain amounts and oil contents similar to those of cultivars grown in the largest Brazilian producing areas. The cultivars that provide the highest yield in the Brazilian semiarid region, when grown under supplementary irrigation, are 'Aguara 4', 'CF 101', and 'BRS 322' with a high achene and oil yield, and 'M 734' with high achene yield. The less susceptible cultivars to severe water deficit are 'Helio 251' and 'BRS 387' with a high-intrinsic photosynthetic efficiency.

Fine-tuning the photosynthetic light harvesting apparatus for improved photosynthetic efficiency and biomass yield

Photosynthetic electron transport rates in higher plants and green algae are light-saturated at approximately one quarter of full sunlight intensity. This is due to the large optical cross section of plant light harvesting antenna complexes which capture photons at a rate nearly 10-fold faster than the rate-limiting step in electron transport. As a result, 75% of the light captured at full sunlight intensities is reradiated as heat or fluorescence. Previously, it has been demonstrated that reductions in the optical cross-section of the light-harvesting antenna can lead to substantial improvements in algal photosynthetic rates and biomass yield. By surveying a range of light harvesting antenna sizes achieved by reduction in chlorophyll b levels, we have determined that there is an optimal light-harvesting antenna size that results in the greatest whole plant photosynthetic performance. We also uncover a sharp transition point where further reductions or increases in antenna size reduce photosynthetic efficiency, tolerance to light stress, and impact thylakoid membrane architecture. Plants with optimized antenna sizes are shown to perform well not only in controlled greenhouse conditions, but also in the field achieving a 40% increase in biomass yield.