Genetic variation for resistance to low-temperature photoinhibition of photosynthesis in maize (Zea maysL.)

✍ Scribed by O. Dolstra; S. R. Haalstra; P. E. L. Putten; A. H. C. M. Schapendonk

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 583 KB
• Volume: 80
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-2336
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00039302

✦ Synopsis

Sixty-seven inbred lines of maize were evaluated for resistance to low-temperature photoinhibition of photosynthesis, using a pulse-modulated chlorophyll fluorescence technique. The evaluation procedure was based on leaf discs, which were exposed to a high irradiance (1000 #mol/m2/s) at 70 C. The efficiency of open PSII reaction centres as a reflection of overall photosynthesis was measured before and after a photoinhibition-inducing treatment. Exposure of leaf discs to photoinhibitory conditions for 2, 4, and 8 hours resulted in an efficiency reduction of 30, 53 and 83%, respectively. Testing of inbred lines showed large differences for photoinhibition susceptibility. The difference in photosynthetic efficiency between the most extreme lines after a treatment of eight hours was 39%. Resistance to photoinhibition was shown to be relevant under cool field conditions. It proved to be a trait strongly amenable to selection.