Abstract

Light- and CO2-saturated photosynthesis of nonhardened rye (Secale cereale L. cv. Musketeer) was reduced from 18.10 to 7.17 mu mol O-2.m(-2).s(-1) when leaves were transferred from 20 to 5 degrees C for 30 min. Following cold-hardening at 5 degrees C for ten weeks, photosynthesis recovered to 15.05 mu mol O-2.m(-2).s(-1), comparable to the non-hardened rate at 20 degrees C. Recovery of photosynthesis was associated with increases in the total activity and activation of enzymes of the photosynthetic carbon-reduction cycle and of sucrose synthesis. The total hexose-phosphate pool increase by 30% and 120% for nonhardened and cold-hardened leaves respectively when measured at 5 degrees C. The large increase in esterified phosphate in cold-hardened leaves occurred without a limitation in inorganic phosphate supply. In contrast, the much smaller increase in esterified phosphate in nonhardened leaves was associated with an inhibition of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and sucrose-phosphate synthase activation. It is suggested that the large increases in hexose phosphates in cold-hardened leaves compensates for the higher substrate threshold concentrations needed for enzyme activation at low temperatures. High substrate concentrations could also compensate for the kinetic limitations imposed by product inhibition from the accumulation of sucrose at 5 degrees C. Nonhardened leaves appear to be unable to compensate in this fashion due to an inadequate supply of inorganic phosphate.

Keywords

FROST HARDENING; LOW TEMPERATURE; PHOTOSYNTHESIS; RIBULOSE-1,5-BISPHOSPHATE CARBOXYLASE OXYGENASE; SECALE; SUCROSE-PHOSPHATE SYNTHASE

Published in

Planta
1995, Volume: 195, number: 4, pages: 554-562
Publisher: SPRINGER

SLU Authors

• Hurry, Vaughan

  • Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Botany


Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/76383