Theory and practice of a portable photosynthesis instrument

Abstract. Theory and practice of non-steady-state portable photosynthesis instruments (LI-6000 and 6200, LI-COR Inc., Nebraska, U.S.A.) are presented. Mass balance equations for the time dependence of H₂O and CO₂ mol fractions within the leaf chamber were used to describe instrument function. Measurements for each run were fitted to an exponential function to estimate average rates of CO₂ assimilation and transpiration during the measurement period. Stomatal conductances and intercellular CO₂ mol fractions were also computed. Linear data analysis used in the LI-6200 produced similar results for assimilation rates, stomatal conductances and intercellular CO₂ concentrations compared to a more rigorous nonlinear analysis, provided humidity within the chamber was kept constant during the measurement period. Instrument performance for CO₂ fluxes was confirmed by injecting pure CO₂ at steady rates from a microsyringe into the chamber. Miniature evaporimeters were designed to check H₂O flux measurements. Significant discrepancies were observed between LI-6200 estimates of H₂O fluxes and direct measurement and errors were attributed to adsorption desorption of water vapour on chamber walls or to leaks. The leaf chamber should be stored at humidities and temperatures similar to those during measurement conditions for maximum reliability of results.     

Diurnal changes in leaf gas exchange and validation of a mathematical model for coffee (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coffea arabica</Emphasis> L.) canopy photosynthesis

Diurnal variations in net photosynthetic rate (P _N), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (g _s), internal CO₂ concentration (C _i), and water use efficiency (WUE) were studied on individual leaves of coffee plants to determine the effect of climatic factors on photosynthetic capacity. P _N and E showed bimodal behaviour with the maximum values of P _N at mid-morning. At noon, under saturating photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and high leaf temperature (T _l), P _N declined. In the afternoon (14:00), P _N slightly recovered in association with a decrease in Tl and in leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Reductions in E during the morning were associated with decreases in g _s. Higher WUE in the morning was related to higher P _N and lower E. The reverse occurred in the afternoon. Goudriaan's simulation model, adapted for coffee canopy photosynthesis, was tested at the level of whole plant (P _pl). Three methods were used: (a) Whole plant net photosynthesis (P _pl) under semi-controlled conditions in a chamber. (b) P _pl estimation following Goudriaan's method (Gaussian integration) of instantaneous P _N in single leaves at three canopy depths and at three different hours assuming a photosynthesis unimodal behaviour. (c) P _pl using Goudriaan's method but at five different hours according to the bimodal behaviour reported above. Results of P _pl estimates using Goudriaan's model adapted for coffee canopy confirm the observed P _pl bimodal behaviour with high fitness degree of the measured whole plant photosynthesis. The high fitness found among observed and simulated data indicates that the modified model may be used as a subroutine for the general simulation model of coffee crop growth.     

光合作用对胞间和大气CO_2响应曲线的比较

利用Li-6400便携式光合作用系统测定华北平原冬小麦在温度为25℃和30℃、光合有效辐射为1500和2000 mmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)条件下处于抽穗时期旗叶的CO_2响应曲线,研究植物光合作用对胞间CO_2响应(A/C_i)和对大气CO_2响应(A/C_a)的直角双曲线修正模型所给拟合结果的合理性.结果表明:由A/C_i和A/C_a修正模型所给的光合能力和CO_2补偿点几乎相同,但得到的光呼吸速率和初始羧化效率则完全不等;产生这种差异的原因是利用叶片气体交换测定的数据所计算的胞间CO_2浓度并不是植物叶片本身的胞间CO_2浓度;A/C_a修正模型比A/C_i修正模型更为合理是因为A/C_a所估算的光呼吸速率接近测量值.

Abstract：

By using Li-6400 portable photosynthesis system, the photosynthetic parameters of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) during its heading stage in North China Plain were measured at air temperature 25℃ and 30℃ and at photosynthetically available radiation 1500 and 2000 mmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1). The measured data were fitted with the modified rectangular hyperbola models of the photosynthetic responses to flag leaf intercellular CO_2 concentration (A/C_i) and air CO_2 concentration (A/C_a), aimed to approach the reasonability of the fitted results obtained from the models. The photosynthetic capacity and CO_2 compensation point estimated by the modified A/C_i curve and A/C_a curve were nearly the same, but the photorespiration and initial earboxylation ef-ficiency estimated by them were completely different. The difference between the two modified curves came from the calculated but not the real intercellular CO_2 concentration. Modified A/C_a curve was more reasonable than the modified A/C_i curve, because the photorespiration rate esti-mated by the former was close to the measured value.     

Leaf gas exchange,physiological growth,yield and biochemical properties of groundnut as influenced by boron in soilless culture

Crops specific proper concentration of micronutrient application is necessary to improve the yield and quality of crops. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to identify the optimum dose of boron for groundnut plant. Six level of boron (B) application, B₀ (0?ppm), B₁ (0.5?ppm), B₂ (1?ppm), B₃ (2?ppm), B₄ (4?ppm) and B₅ (8?ppm) were evaluated. Photosynthetic rate, transpiration and stomatal conductance were increased for boron application but leaf vapor pressure deficit decreased. Physiological growth parameters, yield and yield contributing character, and shelling percentage was highest for B₃. The values of biochemical traits including protein, oil and vitamin E content were higher for B₄. Thus, leaf gas exchange showed that boron can be used to culture groundnut as it provides high yield and biochemical properties.     

典型城区与郊区环境大叶黄杨气体交换及叶绿素荧光特性比较

采用Li-6400便携式光合作用测定系统对夏秋季典型城区与郊区环境下大叶黄杨的气体交换和叶绿素荧光特性进行了现场实验比较研究.研究显示,叶片净光合速率的大小由总光合速率(光合能力)和呼吸速率共同决定,城区环境温度较高、相对湿度较低、大气CO2浓度较高, 不同月份城区和郊区样点大叶黄杨的净光合速率差异显著性存在不同.城区环境下大叶黄杨的胞间CO2浓度、叶面水气压亏缺、蒸腾速率高于郊区环境.城区环境中温度、大气CO2浓度等的变化会影响叶片呼吸作用,造成呼吸速率升高或是降低,城区环境中污染物浓度变化也会损伤叶片光合结构从而导致总光合能力降低,这两者都会引起净光合速率的变化.通过大叶黄杨叶片叶绿素荧光指标的进一步对比分析发现,城区大叶黄杨叶片叶绿素总量、叶绿素a/b、Fv/Fm、Fv/Fo、qP、ΦPSⅡ、ETR降低,但qN升高.表明叶片叶绿体PSⅡ的功能受到负面影响.城区大叶黄杨叶片荧光参数的变化,从微观机制上表明城区环境中污染物浓度的上升导致叶绿素及叶绿体光合结构受损的确是叶片光合能力下降的主要原因之一.     

Missing methane emissions from leaves of terrestrial plants

The controversial claim that attached leaves of terrestrial plants emit CH₄ aerobically remains to be corroborated. Here, we report CH₄ fluxes and CO₂ exchange rates for leaves of the C₄ species Zea mays using a high-accuracy traceable online analytical system. In contrast to earlier results for Z. mays , our measurements provide no evidence for substantial aerobic CH₄ emissions from photosynthesizing leaves illuminated with photosynthetically active radiation ( λ =400–700 nm), or from dark-respiring leaves. Preliminary measurements with the same system indicated a similar lack of aerobic CH₄ emissions in the light or dark from leaves of the C₃ species Nicotiana tabacum . These findings are supported by independent high-precision ¹³C-labeling studies that also failed to confirm substantial aerobic CH₄ emissions from plants. Nevertheless, we are not able to exclude the possibility that CH₄ emissions from plants may be linked to nonenzymatic processes with an action spectrum lying outside the wavelength range for photosynthesis.