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Effects of rapidly imposed water deficit on photosynthetic parameters of three C4 grasses

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Water deficit, when rapidly imposed on three C4 grasses of the different metabolic subtypes, Paspalum dilatatum Poiret (NADP-malic enzyme), Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers (NAD-malic enzyme) and Zoysia japonica Steudel (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), caused decreases in photosynthetic rates, in the quantum yield of PS II and photochemical quenching, and in the activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC). The results provide evidence for non-stomatal limitations of photosynthesis differing in nature between the three species.

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Abbreviations

DM:

dry mass

NAD-ME:

NAD-malic enzyme

NADP-ME:

NADP-malic enzyme

NPQ:

non-photochemical quenching

PEPC:

phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase

PEPCK:

phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

P max :

rate of photosynthesis at saturating CO2 and high irradiance

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

PSII:

photosystem II

qP :

photochemical quenching

Rubisco:

ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

RWC:

leaf relative water content

Vmax :

PEPC maximal activity

Vt :

Rubisco total activity

ΦPSII :

effective quantum yield of PS II electron transport

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Engenharia Biológica and Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal

    A.S. Soares-Cordeiro, A.E. Carmo-Silva, A. Bernardes da Silva, J. Marques da Silva & M.C. Arrabaça

  2. Department of Plant Sciences, Centre for Crop Genetic Improvement, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK

    A.E. Carmo-Silva & A.J. Keys

Authors
  1. A.S. Soares-Cordeiro
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  2. A.E. Carmo-Silva
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  3. A. Bernardes da Silva
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  4. J. Marques da Silva
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  5. A.J. Keys
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  6. M.C. Arrabaça
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Correspondence to A.S. Soares-Cordeiro.

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Soares-Cordeiro, A., Carmo-Silva, A., Bernardes da Silva, A. et al. Effects of rapidly imposed water deficit on photosynthetic parameters of three C4 grasses. Photosynthetica 47, 304–308 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-009-0047-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-009-0047-y

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