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Ecophysiological responses of Caragana korshinskii Kom. under extreme drought stress: Leaf abscission and stem survives

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Caragana korshinskii Kom. is a perennial xerophytic shrub, well known for its ability to resist drought. In order to study ecophysiological responses of C. korshinskii under extreme drought stress and subsequent rehydration, diurnal patterns of gas exchange and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters of photosystem II as well as Chl content were analyzed. Plant responses to extreme drought included (1) leaf abscission and using stem for photosynthesis, (2) improved instantaneous water-use efficiency, (3) decreased photosynthetic rate and partly closed stomata owing to leaf abscission and low water status, (4) decreased maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) (variable to maximum fluorescence ratio, Fv/Fm), quantum efficiency of noncyclic electron transport of PSII, and Chl a and Chl b. Four days after rehydration, new leaves budded from stems. In the rewatered plants, the chloroplast function was restored, the gas exchange and Chl fluorescence returned to a similar level as control plant. The above result indicated that maintaining an active stem system after leaf abscission during extreme drought stress may be the foundation which engenders these mechanisms rapid regrowth for C. korshinskii in arid environment.

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Abbreviations

C i :

intercellular CO2 concentration

Chl:

chlorophyll

DAW:

day after water was withheld

DAR:

day after rehydration

DS:

drought stress

E :

transpiration rate

F0 :

minimum fluorescence of the dark-adapted state

Fm :

maximum fluorescence of the light-adapted state

Fm′:

maximum fluoresence yield of the dark-adapted state

Fs :

steady-state fluoresence

Fv/Fm :

maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II

FWC:

field water capacity

g s :

stomatal conductance

NPQ:

nonphotochemical quenching of fluorescence

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

PSII:

photosystem II

RWC:

relative water content

SWC:

soil water content

Tleaf :

leaf temperature

WW:

well watered

WUE:

instantaneous water-use efficiency

ϕPSII :

quantum efficiency of noncyclic electric transport of PSII

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems/School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    D. H. Xu, X. W. Fang & G. Wang

  2. Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    P. X. Su

Authors
  1. D. H. Xu
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  2. X. W. Fang
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  3. P. X. Su
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  4. G. Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. H. Xu.

Additional information

Acknowledgments: This study was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 30900171 and No. 91025026) and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 20090450186).

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Xu, D.H., Fang, X.W., Su, P.X. et al. Ecophysiological responses of Caragana korshinskii Kom. under extreme drought stress: Leaf abscission and stem survives. Photosynthetica 50, 541–548 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-012-0060-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-012-0060-4

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