Temperature‐Related Changes in Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Contents of Chlorophyll and Carotenoids in Andean and European Potato Clones

Abstract

Low-temperature adapted Andean potato clones and low-temperature sensitive European clones cultivated at 20/10 °C were compared during stress occurring as the result of low-temperature treatments.The stress response of leaf tissue was assessed by measuring the decrease in chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) in detached leaves during a period of six days. After temperature stress combined with Hght Fv/Fm decreased only slightly in the Andean clones, but was markedly lower than the initial values in the European clones. However, after a 2 °C treatment in darkness no difference between clones of different origins was detected.In general, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of the Andean clones were higher than those of the European clones. They were markedly lower in all clones in treatments where low temperature was combined with light, than at 20/10 °C and at 2 °C in the dark. The contents of carotenoids and total chlorophylls decreased more in the European than in the Andean clones when leaves were transferred to a higher light intensity and when the lowest temperature used was combined with light. Thus carotenoids and chlorophylls in the European clones were more sensitive to photo-oxidation at low temperatures than in the Andean clones.The changes in chlorophyll fluorescence in illuminated, detached leaves induced by a decrease in temperature were found to correlate with the low temperature performance of the genotypes. The correlation between low temperature performance and photosynthetic activity was highly significant and could be used by plant breeders to identify plants that perform well at low temperatures.

Characterization of genotypic variation in stress gene expression and photosynthetic parameters in potato

“…1995). The freezing‐tolerant wild potato species which are able to cold acclimate, are also more tolerant to low temperature photo‐inhibition (Steffen & Palta 1986, 1989; Kristjandottir & Merker 1993; Seppänen et al . 2001).…”

“…The freezing-tolerant wild potato species which are able to cold acclimate, are also more tolerant to low temperature photo-inhibition (Steffen & Palta 1986Kristjandottir & Merker 1993;Seppänen et al 2001). The results indicate that improved capacity to keep Q oxidized after night frost is one of the tolerance mechanisms missing in S. tuberosum species which are unable to cold acclimate.…”

Chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content in field-grown potato as affected by nitrogen supply, genotype, and plant age

“…Chl fluorescence provides a non-destructive, rapid means of assessing both photo-chemical quantum yield and photoinhibition (Krause 1988, Krause andWeis 1991), and has been widely employed as an indicator of plant response to stresses, especially those imposed by air and water pollution (Lichtenthaler 1988), water deficit (Cornic and Massacci 1996), high and low temperature (Kristjansdottir andMerker 1993, Willits andPeet 2001), and salinity (Smillie and Nott 1982). Larcher (1994) has suggested that it may represent the most reliable way of quantifying photosynthesis in heat-stressed plants.…”

Characterization of potato genotypes by chlorophyll fluorescence during plant aging in a Mediterranean environment

“…It has been used as an indicator of plant responses to stress, especially air and water pollution (Lichtenthaler 1988), water deficit in potato (Jefferies 1992, Basu et al 1998) and bread wheat (Hassan 2006), high and low-temperature in potato (Kristjansdottir and Merker 1993), sunflower and maize (Yordanov et al 1997), and tomato (Willits and Peet 2001), and salinity in sugar beet, sunflower, and bean (Smillie and Nott 1982). Larcher (1994) suggested that for monitoring heat stress, Chl fluorescence may be a more reliable measurement of photosynthesis than CO 2 exchange, which can be influenced by stomata closure not primarily induced by heat.…”