Abstract
The performance and photosynthetic ecophysiology of three photo-types of Dioscorea zingiberensis were studied. The three types are designated DzTL, DzTM and DzTH, according to their adaptation to low (LL), medium (ML) and high (HL) light intensities, respectively. Under LL (23 - 55 μmol m-2 s-1) and simulated natural light (SNL), DzTM grows well with increased longevity, and green leaves which are unspotted; while its leaves became small, light yellow and short-lived under HL (550 - 850 μmol m-2 s-1). In contrast, under LL the leaves of DzTH were very large, spotted, light yellow and short-lived; while they were small, green and long-lived under HL. Under HL, DzTH had a much higher chlorophyll content than DzTM. Under LL, DzTM and DzTL had a higher Chl content than DzTH. Among the three types, DzTM had the highest peroxidase activity. DzTL had a higher electron transport rate (ETR), maximal quantum yield (MQY) and effective quantum yield (EQY) than DzTH and DzTL under LL, while DzTH had higher ETR, MQY and EQY than the other two types under ML and HL. Therefore, three different photo-types can be characterized according to their adaptation to LL, ML and HL: DzTL, DzTM and DzTH, respectively.
Abbreviations
Chl: chlorophyll
DCMU: 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea
DCPiP: 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol sodium salt dihydrate
DzTH: Dioscorea zingiberensis high light intensity type
DzTL: D. zingiberensis low light intensity type
DzTM: D. zingiberensis medium light intensity type
EQY: effective quantum yield
ETR: electron transport rate
HL: high light intensity
HPLC: high performance liquid chromatography
LL: low light intensity
MDA: malondialdehyde
ML: medium light intensity
MQY: maximal quantum yield
MV: methyl viologen
SNL: simulated natural light
PAR: photosynthetically active radiation
POD: peroxidase
PSI: photosystem one
PSII: photosystem two
Rubisco: ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase
WETC: whole electron transport chain
Key words
Dioscorea zingiberensis
- photo-type - electron transport rate - light intensity - quantum yield - photosynthesis