Skip to main content
PMC home page
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1990 Jul;93(3):1078–1082. doi: 10.1104/pp.93.3.1078

Chlorophyll a Fluorescence and Carbon Assimilation in Developing Leaves of Light-Grown Cucumber 1

Judith G Croxdale 1,2, Kenji Omasa 1,2
PMCID: PMC1062633  PMID: 16667560

Abstract

The development of photochemical activity and carbon assimilation in light-grown cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv Natsusairaku) leaves was studied to determine the pattern of acquisition and its relationship to leaf growth and expansion. Measurements of chlorophyll a fluorescence showed that leaves acquire photochemical function over a period of 6 or more days, and gas exchange studies showed increases in carbon assimilation over a parallel time period. As leaves expand and mature, they undergo a sequential, three-step series of changes in fluorescence response. The initial kinetics show the absence of wholly functional quenching mechanisms. Dynamic imaging of fluorescence kinetics showed that a temporal series of changes occurred within defined areas of individual developing leaves. The spatial acquisition of photochemical activity in leaves was basipetal as is their directional expansion, development of air spaces and stomata, and the cessation of imported carbon.

Full text

PDF
1078

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Benedict C. R., Kohel R. J. The synthesis of ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase and chlorophyll in virescent cotton leaves. Plant Physiol. 1969 Apr;44(4):621–622. doi: 10.1104/pp.44.4.621. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Berry J. O., Nikolau B. J., Carr J. P., Klessig D. F. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase gene expression in light- and dark-grown amaranth cotyledons. Mol Cell Biol. 1985 Sep;5(9):2238–2246. doi: 10.1128/mcb.5.9.2238. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dickmann D. I. Chlorophyll, Ribulose-1,5-diphosphate Carboxylase, and Hill Reaction Activity in Developing Leaves of Populus deltoides. Plant Physiol. 1971 Aug;48(2):143–145. doi: 10.1104/pp.48.2.143. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Omasa K., Shimazaki K., Aiga I., Larcher W., Onoe M. Image analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence transients for diagnosing the photosynthetic system of attached leaves. Plant Physiol. 1987 Jul;84(3):748–752. doi: 10.1104/pp.84.3.748. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Sasaki Y., Tomoda Y., Tomi H., Kamikubo T., Shinozaki K. Synthesis of ribulose biphosphate carboxylase in greening pea leaves. Coordination of mRNA level of two subunits. Eur J Biochem. 1985 Oct 1;152(1):179–186. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1985.tb09179.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Sharkey T. D., Seemann J. R., Berry J. A. Regulation of Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase Activity in Response to Changing Partial Pressure of O(2) and Light in Phaseolus vulgaris. Plant Physiol. 1986 Jul;81(3):788–791. doi: 10.1104/pp.81.3.788. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Smillie R. M., Nott R. Salt tolerance in crop plants monitored by chlorophyll fluorescence in vivo. Plant Physiol. 1982 Oct;70(4):1049–1054. doi: 10.1104/pp.70.4.1049. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES