Effect of Temperature on Photoinhibition and Recovery in Actinidia deliciosa

Abstract

Photoinhibition of photosynthesis was induced in intact leaves of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) grown in natural light not exceeding a photon irradiance (PI) of 300 µmol m^-2 s^-1 by exposing them to a PI of 1500 µmol m^-2 s^-1. The temperature was held constant during the high-light exposure between 5 and 35°C. Recovery was followed at temperatures between 10 and 35°C, after photoinhibition was induced by a 240 min exposure to high light. The kinetics of photoinhibition and recovery were followed by chlorophyll fluorescence at 692 nm and 77K.

Photoinhibition occurred at all temperatures but was greatest at low temperatures. Temperature affected the severity of photoinhibitory damage but not the kinetics of photoinhibition. Recovery was also temperature-dependent with little or no recovery occurring below about 20°C and rapid recovery at 30-35°C. The extent of photoinhibition also affected the rates of recovery which were reduced as the severity of photoinhibition increased.

An analysis of the rate constants for energy transfer within photosystem II indicated that kiwifruit leaves have some capacity to prevent photoinhibition by increasing the amount of non-radiative energy dissipation. However, the analysis also indicates that this protection mechanism was not wholly effective since the primary photochemical reactions apparently become inactivated during exposure of these leaves to high light.