Photosynthetic gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, antioxidant enzymes, and growth responses of Jatropha curcas during soil flooding

Authors

KRISHAN KUMAR VERMA
MUNNA SINGH
RAMWANT KUMAR GUPTA
CHHEDI LAL VERMA

DOI

10.3906/bot-1212-32

Abstract

The response of chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic CO_2 assimilation (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), electrolyte leakage, and transpiration (E) was observed in Jatropha curcas seedlings subjected to soil flooding. A strong reduction in growth, leaf-area expansion (64%), and stomatal conductance (45%) impaired photosynthetic CO_2 assimilation (66%), which eventually reduced biomass yield. The ratio between variable-to-initial chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fo) and the maximum quantum yield efficiency of the photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was used to explore damage associated with the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus. A strong, non-linear correlation between physiological parameters and soil flooding duration was found. Our study primarily revealed consequences of epigenetics, i.e. stagnant soil flooding, which affected growth, development, and performance of Jatropha curcas significantly. The activities of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APx), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in leaves increased, implying an integrated pathway involving CAT, APx, GR, and GPx for protection against the detrimental effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during soil flooding.

Keywords

Biomass, flooding, photosynthesis, physic nut, relief, stress

First Page

130

Last Page

140

Recommended Citation

VERMA, KRISHAN KUMAR; SINGH, MUNNA; GUPTA, RAMWANT KUMAR; and VERMA, CHHEDI LAL (2014) "Photosynthetic gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, antioxidant enzymes, and growth responses of Jatropha curcas during soil flooding," Turkish Journal of Botany: Vol. 38: No. 1, Article 13. https://doi.org/10.3906/bot-1212-32
Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/botany/vol38/iss1/13