Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging reveals genetic variation and loci for a photosynthetic trait in diploid potato

Abstract

Physiology and genetics are tightly interrelated. Understanding the genetic basis of a physiological trait such as the quantum yield of the photosystem II, or photosynthetic responses to environmental changes will benefit the understanding of these processes. By means of chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) imaging, the quantum yield of photosystem II can be determined rapidly, precisely and non-invasively. In this article, the genetic control and variation in the steady-state quantum yield of PSII (Φ PSII ) is analyzed for diploid potato plants. Current progress in potato research and breeding is slow due to high levels of heterozygosity and complexity of tetraploid genetics. Diploid potatoes offer the possibility of overcoming this problem and advance research for one of the globally most important staple foods. With the help of a diploid genetic mapping population two genetic loci that were strongly associated with differences in Φ PSII were identified. This is a proof of principle that genetic analysis for Φ PSII can be done on potato. The effects of three different stress conditions that are important in potato cultivation were also tested: salt stress, low temperature and deficiency in the macronutrient phosphate. For the last two stresses, significant decreases in photosynthetic activity could be shown, revealing potential for stress detection with CF based tools. In general, our findings show the potential of high-throughput phenotyping for physiological research and breeding in potato.

Electron and proton transport in wheat exposed to salt stress: is the increase of the thylakoid membrane proton conductivity responsible for decreasing the photosynthetic activity in sensitive genotypes?

“…To eliminate these two problems, a new low-cost sensor, MultispeQ connected to the open PhotosynQ network, was developed as a tool for large-scale plant phenotyping of plants (Kuhlgert et al 2016 ). Multiple phenotyping studies with efficient utilization of fluorescence PAM records using MultispeQ sensor were published in the last period, such as analyses of drought stress effects in barley (Fernández-Calleja et al 2020 ) or temperature stress in bean (Traub et al 2018 ) and potato (Prinzenberg et al 2018 ). The MultispeQ sensor was also used for phenotypic characterization of plants exposed to salts stress in Arabidopsis thaliana lines (Nepal et al 2020 ) and potato (Prinzenberg et al 2018 ) but without any attempts to assess the preciseness or reliability of the analysis compared to other methods or indicators.…”

Relations Between Photosynthetic Parameters and Drought-Induced Tuber Yield Decrease in Katahdin-Derived Potato Cultivars

“…It is well known that photosynthetic activity is reduced when plants are exposed to environmental stress (Retuerto et al 2006;Prinzenberg et al 2018). Drought stress reduces plant growth by reducing photosynthesis, which is mainly caused by stomatal limitation.…”

Spectral Reflectance Indices and Physiological Parameters in Quinoa under Contrasting Irrigation Regimes

“…Recently a device called the MultispeQ has been released that can rapidly measure various photosynthetic parameters and leaf chlorophyll content (Kuhlgert et al, 2016). The MultispeQ has been successfully used in diverse crops such as potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L.), tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.), and beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (Tietz et al, 2017; Gómez et al, 2018; Prinzenberg et al, 2018; Soltani et al, 2018). Past studies have demonstrated the role of physiological and biochemical parameters to evaluate drought and heat stress in quinoa, such as chlorophyll fluorescence (Fghire et al, 2015; Yang et al, 2016).…”