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Variation of photosynthetic characteristics and yield in wild and cultivated species of yams (Dioscorea spp.) from Koraput, India

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Variations in leaf gas-exchange characteristics, PSII activity, leaf pigments, and tuber yield were investigated in seven wild and one cultivated species of Dioscorea from Koraput, India, in order to find out their overall adaptability to the environment. The leaf photosynthetic rate, transpiration, stomatal conductance, water-use efficiency, carboxylation efficiency, and photosynthetic pigments were significantly higher in some wild species compared to the cultivated species. In addition, some wild species showed better photochemical efficiency of PSII, photochemical quenching, and electron transport rate in comparison to cultivated one. Furthermore, leaf dry matter accumulation and tuber yield was also higher in some wild species compared to the cultivated species. Taken together, the wild species, such as D. oppositifolia, D. hamiltonii, and D. pubera, showed the superior photosynthetic efficiency compared to the cultivated D. alata and they could be used for future crop improvement programs.

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Abbreviations

Car:

carotenoids

CE:

carboxylation efficiency (= PN/Ci)

Chl:

chlorophyll

C i :

intercellular CO2 concentration

DM:

dry mass

DMA:

dry matter accumulation

E :

transpiration rate

ETR:

electron transport rate

F0 :

minimal fluorescence yield of the dark-adapted state

F0' :

minimal fluorescence yield of the light-adapted state

Fm :

maximal fluorescence yield of the darkadapted state

Fm' :

maximal fluorescence yield of the light-adapted state

Fv/Fm:

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

FM:

fresh mass

gs:

stomatal conductance

LSD:

least significant difference

NPQ:

nonphotochemical quenching

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

qP:

photochemical quenching coefficient

RWC:

relative water content

WUE:

water-use efficiency (= PN/E)

ΦPSII :

effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources, Central University of Orissa, 764021, Koraput, Odisha, India

    B. Padhan & D. Panda

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  1. B. Padhan
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  2. D. Panda
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Correspondence to D. Panda.

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Acknowledgements: Authors are grateful to the Head of the Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources for providing necessary facilities for the work and also grateful to University Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi for providing Non- NET Fellowship. Dr. Sanjay Ranjan, Application Scientist, Spectra Agritec, New Delhi, and Dr. R. K. Sarkar, Emeritus Scientist, ICAR-NRRI, Cuttack are highly acknowledged for their valuable suggestions.

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Padhan, B., Panda, D. Variation of photosynthetic characteristics and yield in wild and cultivated species of yams (Dioscorea spp.) from Koraput, India. Photosynthetica 56, 1010–1018 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0823-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-018-0823-7

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