Background. Comparing the characteristics of primary photosynthetic processes in photosystem II (PSII) in the leaves of two oat (Avena sativa L.) subspecies will help to understand their genetic differentiation. Comparisons between naked and covered oats to assess the efficiency of energy flows within PSII and its relation to useful agronomic traits have not been previously made but can have an effect on their cultivation practices.Materials and methods. Two-week-old plants of 16 covered and 17 naked oat genotypes were assessed for rapid chlorophyll α fluorescence using a Fluor Pen FP 110/S fluorometer. Data on the yield structure were obtained in 2021. The data were processed statistically using descriptive statistics, correlation (Excel 2013) and cluster (StatSoft Statistica 10; Ward's method) analyses.Results. The groups of oat genotypes differed significantly in the absolute magnitude of adsorbed (ABS/RC) and trapped (TRo/RC) light energy flows, which were higher in naked oats (by 7.8 and 7.4%, respectively). The efficiency of electron transfer from plastoquinone QB to PSI in naked oats exceeded that in covered oats by 8.2%. For the whole set of genotypes, a statistically significant correlation of grain yield with the PIABS performance index (r = 0.403), light energy adsorption (r = -0.477) and its utilization at the reaction centers of PSII (r = -0.452) was manifested. The performance indices (PIABS and PIABS_total) positively correlated with part of grain in total biomass (0.571 and 0.418, respectively) and were higher in covered oats (by 28.2 and 21.9%, respectively).Conclusion. The existence of significant differences was shown between covered and naked oats according to six of the nine evaluated structural and functional parameters of the PSII leaf functioning. The results of the cluster analysis demonstrated the tendency to the grouping of genotypes by the presence/absence of grain hullness.

The influence of manganese ions (30, 60 and 90 mg/l) on the functioning of the photosystem II (PSII) in leaves was assessed on plants of six spring barley cultivars (Belgorodsky 100, st.). The plants were grown on a complete Knop medium without (control) and with the addition of manganese ions (experiment) under natural light conditions. On 14-day-old leaves, parameters of chlorophyll's rapid fluorescence were recorded using a Fluor Pen FP 110/S fluorometer. The sensitivity of the different structural parts of PSII was found to vary depending on the concentration of Mn ions and the genotype used. Thus, absorbed energy flows increased in the cv. Boyarin at 30 and 60 mg/l Mn (by 7.9 and 14.1 %), in cv. Farmer at 60 and 90 mg/l  (by 15.8 and 16.1 %), but decreased in cv. Dobryak at 30 and 90 mg/l (by 9.7 and 9.0 %), Farmer at 30 mg/l (by 15.8 %) and Bionic at 60 and 90 mg/l (by 8.0 and 6.8 %). The flow of energy stored in primary photochemical reactions in the cv. Bionic increased at 30 mg/l of manganese (by 6.3 %), but decreased at 60 (by 6.8 %) and 90 mg/l (by 5.3 %); increased in the cv. Boyarin at 30 mg/l of Mn (by 6.4 %), but decreased in the cv. Forward (by 11.7 %). Electronic transport leading to CO2 fixation increased in cv. Farmer at all Mn concentrations (by 8.1...12.6 %), and in cv. Bionic it increased at 30 mg/l (by 7.2 %), but decreased at  90 mg/l (by 7.4 %). The electron flux leading to the oxidation of the finile acceptor of PSI in the studied cultivars did not change under the influence of the stressor. However, the integral parameters of PSII activity (PIABS and PIABS_total indices) under stressful conditions were determined by the plant genotype. This indicates, firstly, the need for targeted selection (to a specific level of the stress factor); secondly, on the possibility of pyramidation of the integral level of resistance to the stressor by selecting parents who differ in the level of change in individual functional reactions of photosynthesis.

Differences between nine spring barley cultivars on structural and functional parameters of PSII operation are shown. Variability of the parameters used changed from 2.2…2.5 (oxidized quinones pool and maximum photochemical efficiency) to 24.6% (performance index PIABS_total). Parameters characterizing the values of excitation energy fluxes (ABS/RC; TRo/RC; ETo/RC) varied to a small extent - 3.1...6.5%, while the lost energy (DIo/RC) much stronger - 14.6%. The efficiency of electron transport from quinine QB and the entire PSII until the PSI’s primary acceptors varied even more - 18.1 and 17.4%, respectively. The PIABS integral performance index combined cultivars into two groups only; PIABS_total index showed more clear differences in cultivars. Cv. Novichok and Fermer were significantly inferior to cv. Forward, Belgorodsky 100, Boyarin and Bionic in most of the studied parameters. However, according to the results of a cluster analysis, cv. Novichok and Forward turned out to be similar to each other, as well as cv. Fermer, Boyarin and Bionic, which separated into the same cluster. Probably, the action of PSII in cultivars of the same cluster differs only quantitative but not qualitative. Therefore, for breeding work on pyramidizing the genes controlling operation of this photosystem, it is advisable to crossing cultivars belonging to different clusters.