Ögren, Erling
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
The ability of warm-grown leaves to acclimate their photosynthetic machinery to low, non-freezing temperature was compared for contrasting species of grasses and trees. All trees (Betula pubescens, Salix sp. and Picea abies), and young plants of one of the grasses (Hordeum vulgare) showed acclimation of photosynthesis while the other two grasses (Phalaris arundinacea and Festuca ovina) did not. It was those species that maintained leaf sugar concentrations essentially unchanged that showed acclimation. Trees maintained leaf sugar concentrations essentially unchanged by effectively converting leaf sugar surpluses into storage compounds. Grasses were, by comparison, less effective. However, very young plants of Hordeum maintained leaf sugar concentrations unchanged by continued growth rather than by increased storage. This diversity of low-temperature responses are discussed in relation to possible different priorities of trees and grasses: for grasses to undergo cold hardening by allowing sugars to rise, and for trees to store sugars to allow photosynthesis to operate independently of growth as growth varies with growth rhythm and air temperature.
Published in
Physiologia Plantarum
2003, volume: 119, number: 1, pages: 113-120
Publisher: BLACKWELL MUNKSGAARD
SLU Authors
UKÄ Subject classification
Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation
Forest Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-3054.2003.00164.x
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/1122