Leaf age effects on photosynthetic activity and sugar accumulation in droughted and rewatered Lupinus albus plants

Abstract

Changes in the photosynthetic rate (A), stomatal conductance (g), water relations, photosynthetic pigments, Rubisco and soluble sugars accumulation were studied in different aged leaves of white lupin during soil drying and following rehydration. In water-stressed plants, A and g sharply declined and recovered only partially after rewatering. The way Ci and A/gchanged with drought was strongly dependent on leaf age; only in the young leaves did A/g increase and C_i decrease. Drought induced accumulation of soluble sugars was also age dependent, decreasing as leaves aged. In response to soil drying, the contents of photosynthetic pigments, total soluble protein and Rubisco protein increased in the young leaves and were either not affected or slightly decreased in the older ones. Rehydration accentuated the losses in pigments and Rubisco in the old leaves of water-stressed plants. These results suggest that the contribution of mesophyll limitations to explain drought inhibition of photosynthesis increases with leaf age, decreasing the ability to recover after rewatering. In young leaves the tolerance of the photosynthetic apparatus to dehydration and rehydration episodes is high and it is associated with high contents of Rubisco and in soluble sugars, particularly hexoses.