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Increase in photosynthesis of maize hybrids (Zea mays L.) at suboptimal temperature (15 °C) by selection of parental lines on the basis of chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

We tested the usefulness of chlorophyll a fluorescence quenching analysis for the selection of maize parental inbred lines able to produce F1 hybrids with a high CO2 assimilation rate during growth at suboptimal temperature. Fifty inbred lines, grown at 15 °C, showed at 6 °C a broad genetic variability regarding the quantum yield of photosynthetic electron transport (ΦPS2). A decrease of ΦPS2 in sensitive lines was caused more by reduction of the efficiency of excitation energy capture by open photosystem 2 (PS2) reaction centres (Fv'/Fm') than by a drop in photochemical quenching (qP). Selected inbred lines with the highest (H) and the lowest (L) values of ΦPS2 were used for separate crossings in a diallelic arrangement. Twenty-one of H×H hybrids and 21 of the L×L hybrids were grown at 15 °C. The H×H hybrids showed at suboptimal temperature a significantly higher transport of photosynthetic electrons than the L×L hybrids at lower (400) as well as at higher [800 μmol(photon) m−2 s−1] irradiance. The mean net photosynthetic rate (P N) in H×H and L×L hybrids amounted to 8.4 and 5.8 (second leaf) and 8.5 and 7.6 μmol(CO2) m−2 s−1 (third leaf), respectively. Among the best 20 hybrids with regard to P N (values larger than the average) of second leaves, as many as 15 were derived from H lines (75 % of hybrids), whereas among the best 21 hybrids with regard to P N of the third leaves, 16 were derived from H lines (76 % of hybrids). The intensive P N of H×H hybrids was most often accompanied by less water lost via transpiration in relation to photosynthesis than in the hybrids of L lines. Hence an analysis of chlorophyll a fluorescence quenching enables the selection of inbred lines, which can produce hybrids with improved CO2 fixation and with efficient water management during growth at suboptimal temperature.

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Abbreviations

C i :

intercellular CO2 concentration

Chl:

chlorophyll

Fv'/Fm':

efficiency of excitation energy capture by open PS2 reaction centres

H, L:

maize inbred lines with high or low ΦPS2 at 15 °C, respectively

LSD:

least significant difference

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

PS2:

photosystem 2

qP :

photochemical fluorescence quenching

SE:

standard error of the mean

ΦPS2I :

quantum efficiency of PS2 electron transport

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Physiology, Agricultural University, Podluzna 3, 30-239, Krakow, Poland

    J. Kościelniak

  2. Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Podluzna 3, 30-239, Kraków, Poland

    F. Janowiak

  3. Crop Breeding Station Nasiona Kobierzyc Ltd., ul. Sportowa 41, 55-040, Kobierzyce, Poland

    Z. Kurczych

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  1. J. Kościelniak
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  2. F. Janowiak
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  3. Z. Kurczych
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Correspondence to J. Kościelniak.

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Kościelniak, J., Janowiak, F. & Kurczych, Z. Increase in photosynthesis of maize hybrids (Zea mays L.) at suboptimal temperature (15 °C) by selection of parental lines on the basis of chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. Photosynthetica 43, 125–134 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-005-5134-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-005-5134-0

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