Chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime determination of waterstressed C3- and C4-plants

Abstract

This article describes the effect of water stress on the room temperature chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime of plants of wheat (C3) and maize (C4). In addition, net CO2 assimilation rate (PN), stomatal conductance and the fluorescence quenching coefficients qP and qNP at steady state conditions were recorded. The overall fluorescence decay of the control plants can be described by an average decay time of 1 ns for both plant types. Water stress did not modify this parameter in the case of wheat, whereas a shortening of the decay was observed for waterstressed maize plants (tau = 0.45 ns). This shortening in the chlorophyll fluorescence decay was accompanied by an increase in the non-photochemical quenching (qNP). The photochemical quenching (qP) and therefore the electron transport via photosystem II remains unaffected by water stress. The most pronounced effect of the stress for both plant types was a decrease in PN due to a closure of the stomata.

Chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime imaging provides new insight into the chlorosis induced by plant virus infection

“…In view of the numerous publications indicating that dynamic information about complex photosynthetic processes can be obtained using timeresolved fluorescence measurements to determine rates of chlorophyll a deactivation from its excited state (Miloslavina et al 2006;Tumino et al 2008;Belgio et al 2012), some studies have investigated stress effects on plants in vivo by measuring time-resolved fluorescence (Schneckenburge and Frenz 1986). For water-stressed maize plants, chlorophyll fluorescence decay was shortened and non-photochemical quenching was increased (Schmuck et al 1992). In a study of pathogen stress, Bü rling et al (Burling et al 2011) detected leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) in susceptible and resistant wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars by comparing the mean UV-induced fluorescence lifetimes of wheat leaves at different emission wavelengths.…”

Steady‐state chlorophyll fluorescence (Fs) measurements as a tool to follow variations of net CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance during water‐stress in C3 plants

“…1990, Peñuelas and Filella 1998). Chl fluorescence parameters (Schmuck et al. 1992, Cornic 1994, Cerovic et al.…”

Canopy-Level Photochemical Reflectance Index from Hyperspectral Remote Sensing and Leaf-Level Non-Photochemical Quenching as Early Indicators of Water Stress in Maize

“…Previous studies have found that NPQ leaf would increase with the increase of water stress at the leaf scale [46]. Under a low level of light (i.e., near sunrise and sunset), the changes in ΦP are dominated by PQ while NPQ leaf remains constant and low.…”