Grass species and their fungal symbionts affect subsequent forage growth

Persistence of forage grasses is enhanced through the deliberate and selective use of symbiotic fungal endophytes that confer benefits, particularly pest resistance. However, they have also been implicated in reduced plant community diversity as a result of directly or indirectly enhancing competitive ability. A relatively underexplored mechanism by which endophytes might influence pasture plant composition is by altering the biotic or abiotic soil conditions. To examine the soil conditioning effects of forage grass species and their fungal symbionts we tested the responses of three pasture plants, perennial ryegrass, prairie grass, and white clover in nine different soils that had been conditioned by monocultures of endophyte-containing (E+), or endophyte-free (E?), perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, or meadow fescue. Conditioning grass species had little effect on the responses of perennial ryegrass and prairie grass regardless of E+ or E? treatments. In contrast, conditioning species had a strong effect on the response of white clover, resulting in reduced biomass when grown in perennial ryegrass conditioned soils. The presence of endophyte also had significant growth consequences for white clover, but was either positive or negative depending on the conditioning grass species. In comparison to their respective E? treatments, E+ tall and meadow fescue conditioned soils resulted in reduced biomass of white clover, whereas E+ perennial ryegrass conditioned soils resulted in increased biomass of white clover. Among the conditioning strains (AR1, AR37, NEA2, WE) of E+ perennial ryegrass, white clover showed significantly different responses, but all responses were positive in comparison to the E? treatment. By examining the effects of several grass species and endophyte strains, we were able to determine the relative importance of grass species vs. fungal symbiont on soil conditioning. Overall, the conditioning effect of grass species was stronger than the effects associated with endophyte, particularly with regard to the response of white clover. We conclude that both grass species and their fungal endophytes can influence pasture plant community composition through plant–soil feedback.     

UV-B increases the harvest index of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The effects of small changes in natural UV-B on the photosynthesis, pigmentation, flowering and yield of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Label) were studied. To obtain a relatively natural growth environment, the plants were grown in small, half-open greenhouses of UV-transmitting Plexiglas of different thickness (3 and 5 mm), resulting in an 8% difference in the weighted UV-B reaching the plants. Although the UV-B doses used did not significantly influence photosynthesis on a leaf area basis during vegetative growth, important changes in biomass allocation were noted. A UV-B-O induced reduction in leaf area during the period of vegetative growth resulted in decreased dry weight after 57 d. During the flowering and pod-filling stages (57–79.d after planting), however, plants grown at high UV-B retained their photosynthetic capacity longer: maximal photosynthesis, chlorophyll and N content of the leaves were higher under the higher UV-B dose at a plant age of 79 d. Combined with an increased allocation under the higher UV-B dose of both N and biomass to the pods, this resulted in a small increase in yield and an important increase in harvest index with increased UV-B.     

Evaluation of endophyte toxin production and its interaction with transgenic perennial ryegrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lolium perenne</Emphasis> L.) with altered expression of fructosyltransferases

Alkaloid concentration of perennial ryegrass herbage is affected by endophyte strain and host plant genotype. However, previous studies suggest that associations between host and endophyte also depends on environmental conditions, especially those affecting nutrient reserves and that water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentration of perennial ryegrass plants may influence grass-endophyte associations. In this study a single transgenic event, with altered expression of fructosyltransferase genes to produce high WSC and biomass, has been crossed into a range of cultivar backgrounds with varying Epichloë endophyte strains. The effect of the association between the transgenic trait and alkaloid production was assessed and compared with transgene free control populations. In the vast-majority of comparisons there was no significant difference between alkaloid concentrations of transgenic and non-transgenic plants within the same cultivar and endophyte backgrounds. There was no significant difference between GOI+?(gene of interest positive) and GOI? (gene of interest negative) populations in Janthritrem response. Peramine concentration was not different between GOI+?and GOI? for 10 of the 12 endophytes-cultivar combinations. Cultivar Trojan infected with NEA6 and Alto with SE (standard endophyte) exhibited higher peramine and lolitrem B (only for Alto SE) concentration, in the control GOI? compared with GOI+. Similarly, cultivar Trojan infected with NEA6 and Alto with NEA3 presented higher ergovaline concentration in GOI?. Differences in alkaloid concentration may be attributable to an indirect effect in the modulation of fungal biomass. These results conclude that the presence of this transgenic insertion, does not alter the risk (toxicity) of the endophyte–grass associations. Endophyte–host interactions are complex and further research into associations with high WSC plant should be performed in a case by case basis.     

The effects of fungal root endophytes on plant growth: a meta-analysis

Fungal root endophytes are plant associates that colonize root tissue internally without causing any obvious harm to their host. Although ubiquitous, this relationship is not well understood. Our objectives were to determine the effects of fungal root endophyte inoculation on plant biomass and nitrogen concentration by conducting an extensive meta-analysis. We also explored the effects of experimental conditions on the host–endophyte relationship. We performed analyses weighted with non-parametric variance on plant response to root endophytes from the Ascomycetes (excluding the Clavacipitaceae), including categorical analyses of 21 experimental factors, ranging from the identity of the host and the endophyte, to the composition of the growing medium. The response of total biomass to endophyte inoculation was 18 % lower than non-inoculated controls, while individually, root biomass, shoot biomass, and nitrogen concentration responses to endophyte inoculation were neutral. The identities of both the host and the endophyte had an influence, as did the original source of the endophyte (whether or not the isolate used originated from the same host species). Experimental conditions also influenced the plant–endophyte relationship, with the most important being the availability and sources of carbon and organic nitrogen, particularly peat moss. Although our analysis demonstrates that overall plant biomass and nitrogen concentration responses to ascomycetous root endophyte inoculation is neutral to negative, these results are somewhat confounded by among-study differences in experimental conditions, which undoubtedly contribute to the high levels of variability in plant response seen in the literature.     

Plant population and genotype effects override the effects of Epichloë endophyte species on growth and drought stress response of Achnatherum robustum plants in two natural grass populations

Aims In cool-season grasses, systemic and vertically transmitted Epichlo? infections often provide a suite of benefits including increased growth, reproduction and competitive abilities. However, these effects of Epichlo? endophytes on their hosts often depend upon host and endophyte genotype and environmental factors.Methods Achnatherum robustum (sleepygrass) harbors at least two Epichlo? species within natural populations in the Southwest USA. We tested the effects of endophyte infection and species, host population and plant genotype (by experimentally removing the endophyte), and soil moisture (a key limiting factor) on growth and drought stress response of infected A. robustum plants from two populations (Weed and Cloudcroft) in the Sacremento Mountains of New Mexico, USA).Important findings Although the two populations harbor distinct Epichlo? species each with very different chemoprofiles, neither endophyte status (infected vs. uninfected) nor endophyte species affected most growth parameters at 8 or 25 weeks of the experiment, except for leaf length. In high water treatment, infected plants from the Weed population had longer leaf length compared with uninfected plants. In contrast, the population of origin affected all growth parameters, including plant height, leaf number, length and width, tiller number and shoot and root biomass, as well as wilting time. Grasses from the Cloudcroft population generally showed greater growth than grasses from the Weed population. Endophyte infection did affect wilting time, with infection in the Weed population generally reducing time to wilting under low and high water, whereas infection in the Cloudcroft population reduced time to wilting only under high water conditions. Our results suggest that plant population and their associated plant genotypes may play a much larger role in endophyte–host grass interactions in varying environments than previously thought. Asexual Epichlo? species may be compatible with only specific host genotypes within populations such that the phenotypic effects due to population may be greater than phenotypic changes influenced by variation in the endophyte.     

Photosynthetic pigments and photosynthetic products of endophyte-infected and endophyte-free Lolium perenne L.under drought strees conditions

Endophyte-infected fED seeds of Lolium perenne L.were used to attain endophyte-free fED population by heating the seeds at 43℃ for 15 min and then 57℃ for 25 min.Relative water content(RWC),chlorophyll,soluble sugar and starch content of EI and EF populations under normal and drought stress conditions were compared to investigate the effect of endophyte infection on the host plant.Under severe stress.RWC of EI leaf was significantly higher than that Of EF leaf,i.e.EI plants took more advantages over EF plants in water-holding ability.Under mild stress,endophytc could enhance soluble sugars in host plants to improve their osmotic ability.With stress intensification,the improvement of endophyte no longer existed,and more photosynthetic products(such as starch)accumulated in EI plants to survive through the undesirable condidons.In the next spring,EI populations will recover more rapidly than EF populations.The biomass of a population is closely related to its photosynthesis.Under severe stress,EI population significantly accumulated more biomass than EF population.As far as photosynthetic pigments were concerned,contents of Chla,Chlb and Car of EI plants were close to those of EF plants,which suggested that endophyte infection didn't alleviate photosynthetic pigments from being destroyed by drought stress,and endophyte might improve photosynthesis ability of its host plant in other ways.     

Effects of elevated CO2 and N addition on growth and N2 fixation of a legume subshrub (Caragana microphylla Lam.) in temperate grassland in China

It is well demonstrated that the responses of plants to elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentration are species-specific and dependent on environmental conditions. We investigated the responses of a subshrub legume species, Caragana microphylla Lam., to elevated CO(2) and nitrogen (N) addition using open-top chambers in a semiarid temperate grassland in northern China for three years. Measured variables include leaf photosynthetic rate, shoot biomass, root biomass, symbiotic nitrogenase activity, and leaf N content. Symbiotic nitrogenase activity was determined by the C(2)H(2) reduction method. Elevated CO(2) enhanced photosynthesis and shoot biomass by 83% and 25%, respectively, and the enhancement of shoot biomass was significant only at a high N concentration. In addition, the photosynthetic capacity of C. microphylla did not show down-regulation under elevated CO(2). Elevated CO(2) had no significant effect on root biomass, symbiotic nitrogenase activity and leaf N content. Under elevated CO(2), N addition stimulated photosynthesis and shoot biomass. By contrast, N addition strongly inhibited symbiotic nitrogenase activity and slightly increased leaf N content of C. microphylla under both CO(2) levels, and had no significant effect on root biomass. The effect of elevated CO(2) and N addition on C. microphylla did not show interannual variation, except for the effect of N addition on leaf N content. These results indicate that shoot growth of C. microphylla is more sensitive to elevated CO(2) than is root growth. The stimulation of shoot growth of C. microphylla under elevated CO(2) or N addition is not associated with changes in N(2)-fixation. Additionally, elevated CO(2) and N addition interacted to affect shoot growth of C. microphylla with a stimulatory effect occurring only under combination of these two factors.     

Photosynthetic pigments and photosynthetic products of endophyte-infected and endophyte-free Lolium perenne L. under drought stress conditions

Endophyte-infected (EI) seeds of Lolium perenne L. were used to attain endophyte-free (EF) population by heating the seeds at 43°C for 15 min and then 57°C for 25 min. Relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll, soluble sugar and starch content of EI and EF populations under normal and drought stress conditions were compared to investigate the effect of endophyte infection on the host plant. Under severe stress, RWC of EI leaf was significantly higher than that of EF leaf, i.e. EI plants took more advantages over EF plants in water-holding ability. Under mild stress, endophyte could enhance soluble sugars in host plants to improve their osmotic ability. With stress intensification, the improvement of endophyte no longer existed, and more photosynthetic products (such as starch) accumulated in EI plants to survive through the undesirable conditions. In the next spring, EI populations will recover more rapidly than EF populations. The biomass of a population is closely related to its photosynthesis. Under severe stress, EI population significantly accumulated more biomass than EF population. As far as photosynthetic pigments were concerned, contents of Chla, Chlb and Car of EI plants were close to those of EF plants, which suggested that endophyte infection didn’t alleviate photosynthetic pigments from being destroyed by drought stress, and endophyte might improve photosynthesis ability of its host plant in other ways.     

Photosynthetic pigments and photosynthetic products of endophyte-infected and endophyte-free Lolium perenne L. under drought stress conditions

Endophyte-infected (EI) seeds of Lolium perenne L. were used to attain endophyte-free (EF) population by heating the seeds at 43°C for 15 min and then 57°C for 25 min. Relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll, soluble sugar and starch content of EI and EF populations under normal and drought stress conditions were compared to investigate the effect of endophyte infection on the host plant. Under severe stress, RWC of EI leaf was significantly higher than that of EF leaf, i.e. EI plants took more advantages over EF plants in water-holding ability. Under mild stress, endophyte could enhance soluble sugars in host plants to improve their osmotic ability. With stress intensification, the improvement of endophyte no longer existed, and more photosynthetic products (such as starch) accumulated in EI plants to survive through the undesirable conditions. In the next spring, EI populations will recover more rapidly than EF populations. The biomass of a population is closely related to its photosynthesis. Under severe stress, EI population significantly accumulated more biomass than EF population. As far as photosynthetic pigments were concerned, contents of Chla, Chlb and Car of EI plants were close to those of EF plants, which suggested that endophyte infection didn’t alleviate photosynthetic pigments from being destroyed by drought stress, and endophyte might improve photosynthesis ability of its host plant in other ways. __________ Translated from Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2005, 25 (2) [译自: 生态学报, 2005, 25(2)]     

Endophyte-mediated resistance to black cutworm as a function of plant cultivar and endophyte strain in tall fescue

To improve Neotyphodium endophyte-mediated resistance to black cutworm Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (BCW), a series of experiments was conducted by using several different cultivars of tall fescue, Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort. in combination with several different haplotypes of the endophyte Neotyphodium coenophialum (Morgan-Jones & Gams) (plant cultivar × endophyte haplotype = plant line), each producing unique alkaloid profiles. BCW settling response, survival at 5 and 10 d, and larval biomass varied significantly among plant lines. In general, greater variation BCW performance was observed within a single plant cultivar infected with different endophyte haplotypes than among different plant cultivars infected with the same endophyte haplotype, but comparisons among the former were far more numerous. Although five endophyte-mediated alkaloids representing three alkaloid classes were quantified in the plants, the pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-acetyl norloline was consistently the single best predictor of BCW performance. BCW settling response, 5-d survival, and 10-d survival decreased as levels of the alkaloid N-acetyl norloline increased. The same three response variables also decreased with increasing levels of peramine, but increased with increasing levels of ergovaline. Minor variation in endophyte infection levels occurring among infected plant lines had no significant influence on BCW performance. Results indicate a potentially important role for N-acetyl norloline and peramine in providing resistance to black cutworm whereas ergovaline appears to be much less important. Therefore, endophyte haplotypes expressing high levels of N-acetyl norloline and peramine may be of particular importance for developing 'friendly' endophyte-enhanced turf and pasture grasses that resist challenging lepidopteran pests, although remaining safe for wildlife and grazing mammals.     

Do the costs and benefits of fungal endophyte symbiosis vary with light availability?

? Here, we examined whether fungal endophytes modulated host plant responses to light availability. First, we conducted a literature review to evaluate whether natural frequencies of endophyte symbiosis in grasses from shaded habitats were higher than frequencies in grasses occupying more diverse light environments. Then, in a glasshouse experiment, we assessed how four levels of light and the presence of endophyte symbioses affected the growth of six grass species. ? In our literature survey, endophytes were more commonly present in grasses restricted to shaded habitats than in grasses from diverse light environments. ? In the glasshouse, endophyte symbioses did not mediate plant growth in response to light availability. However, in the host grass, Agrostis perennans, symbiotic plants produced 53% more inflorescences than nonsymbiotic plants at the highest level of shade. In addition, under high shade, symbiotic Poa autumnalis invested more in specific leaf area than symbiont-free plants. Finally, shade increased the density of the endophyte in leaf tissues across all six grass species. ? Our results highlight the potential for symbiosis to alter the plasticity of host physiological traits, demonstrate a novel benefit of endophyte symbiosis under shade stress for one host species, and show a positive association between shade-restricted grass species and fungal endophytes.     

The influence of Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation by Vicia faba

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the interactions between the microbial symbionts, Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on N and P accumulation by broad bean (Vicia faba) and how increased N and P content influence biomass production, leaf area and net photosynthetic rate. METHODS: A multi-factorial experiment consisting of four different legume-microbial symbiotic associations and two nitrogen treatments was used to investigate the influence of the different microbial symbiotic associations on P accumulation, total N accumulation, biomass, leaf area and net photosynthesis in broad bean grown under low P conditions. KEY RESULTS: AMF promoted biomass production and photosynthetic rates by increasing the ratio of P to N accumulation. An increase in P was consistently associated with an increase in N accumulation and N productivity, expressed in terms of biomass and leaf area. Photosynthetic N use efficiency, irrespective of the inorganic source of N (e.g. NO3- or N2), was enhanced by increased P supply due to AMF. The presence of Rhizobium resulted in a significant decline in AMF colonization levels irrespective of N supply. Without Rhizobium, AMF colonization levels were higher in low N treatments. Presence or absence of AMF did not have a significant effect on nodule mass but high N with or without AMF led to a significant decline in nodule biomass. Plants with the Rhizobium and AMF symbiotic associations had higher photosynthetic rates per unit leaf area. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the synergistic or additive interactions among the components of the tripartite symbiotic association (Rhizobium-AMF-broad bean) increased plant productivity.     

不同渍水时间对苗期和花期大豆生长及碳氮代谢的影响

以大豆品种南农99.6为材料,通过盆栽试验研究了苗期和花期渍水对大豆生长及碳氮代谢的影响.结果表明: 渍水显著抑制了大豆的生长,植株生物量、叶面积、叶片色素含量和光合速率均显著下降,而丙二醛(MDA)含量显著升高;随着渍水时间的延长,各生理指标的变化幅度增大;渍水胁迫解除后有一定的恢复,渍水10 d处理后恢复能力较渍水20 d处理强.可溶性碳、氮物质及关键酶对渍水反应不同,可溶性糖含量以及叶片谷氨酰胺合成酶和蔗糖合成酶的活性上升,而可溶性蛋白含量下降.渍水对苗期大豆植株生物量、叶面积和MDA含量的影响比花期小.苗期和花期渍水时间越短,大豆受到的伤害越小,其恢复能力也越强.渍水时间在10 d内,大豆植株能够通过自身的调节逐渐恢复.     

Canopy cover and leaf age affect colonization by tropical fungal endophytes: Ecological pattern and process in Theobroma cacao (Malvaceae)

Fungal endophytes inhabit healthy tissues of all terrestrial plant taxa studied to date and are diverse and abundant in leaves of tropical woody angiosperms. Studies have demonstrated that plant location and leaf age influence density of endophyte infection in leaves of tropical forest trees. However, ecological factors underlying these observations have not been explored in detail. Here, we establish that foliar endophytes of a tropical tree (Theobroma cacao, Malvaceae) are transmitted horizontally and that endophyte-free seedlings can be produced for experimental manipulation by protecting aerial tissues from surface wetting. At Barro Colorado Island, Panama, we used transects of endophyte-free seedlings to determine the importance of several factors (canopy cover, abundance of aerial and epiphytic propagules, leaf age, leaf chemistry, leaf toughness and duration of exposure to viable air spora) in shaping colonization by endophytic fungi. Endophytes colonized leaves of T. cacao more rapidly beneath the forest canopy than in cleared sites, reflecting local abundance of aerial and epiphytic propagules. The duration of exposure, rather than absolute leaf age, influenced endophyte infection, whereas leaf toughness and chemistry had no observed effect. Endophytes isolated from mature T. cacao grew more rapidly on media containing leaf extracts of T. cacao than on media containing extracts from other co-occurring tree species, suggesting that interspecific differences in leaf chemistry influence endophyte assemblages. Together, these data allow us to identify factors underlying patterns of endophyte colonization within healthy leaves of this tropical tree.     

供氮水平对小麦生殖生长时期叶片光合速率、NR活性和核酸含量及产量的影响

在水培条件下，研究了氮素水平对小麦生殖生长时期一些生理特性及产量的影响。结果表明：生殖生长时期，外源供氮水平供应增加，叶面积、叶片光合速率及叶绿素含量均随之增加；叶片和根系硝酸还原酶活性（NRA）、叶片铵态氮含量和外源供氮水平间有显著正相关；根系DNA及RNA含量均随供氮水平升高而升高；孕穗期用不同氮素水平处理15 d，对小麦成熟后生物量及经济产量有明显影响。     

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Alter Fractal Dimension Characteristics of Robinia pseudoacacia L. Seedlings Through Regulating Plant Growth,Leaf Water Status,Photosynthesis, and Nutrient Concentration Under Drought Stress

The influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus intraradices, on plant growth, leaf water status, chlorophyll concentration, photosynthesis, nutrient concentration, and fractal dimension (FD) characteristics of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) seedlings was studied in pot culture under well-watered, moderate drought stress, and severe drought stress treatments. Mycorrhizal seedlings had higher dry biomass, leaf relative water content (RWC), and water use efficiency (WUE) compared with non-mycorrhizal seedlings. Under all treatments, AMF colonization notably enhanced net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate, but decreased intercellular CO₂ concentration. Leaf chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll concentrations were higher in AM seedlings than those in non-AM seedlings although there was no significant difference between AMF species. AMF colonization improved leaf C, N, and P concentrations, but decreased C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios. Mycorrhizal seedlings had a larger FD value than non-mycorrhizal seedlings. The FD value was positively and significantly correlated to the plant growth parameters, photosynthesis, RWC, WUE, and nutrient concentration but negatively correlated to leaf/stem ratio, C:N and C:P ratios, and intercellular CO₂ concentration. We conclude that AMF lead to an improvement of growth performance of black locust seedlings under all growth conditions, including drought stress via improving leaf water status, chlorophyll concentration, photosynthesis, and nutrient uptake. Moreover, FD technology proved to be a powerful non-destructive method to characterize the effect of AMF on the physiology of host plants during drought stress.     

Legume presence increases photosynthesis and N concentrations of co-occurring non-fixers but does not modulate their responsiveness to carbon dioxide enrichment

Legumes, with the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N), may help alleviate the N limitations thought to constrain plant community response to elevated concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). To address this issue we assessed: (1) the effects of the presence of the perennial grassland N₂ fixer, Lupinus perennis, on biomass accumulation and plant N concentrations of nine-species plots of differing plant composition; (2) leaf-level physiology of co-occurring non-fixing species (Achillea millefolium, Agropyron repens, Koeleria cristata) in these assemblages with and without Lupinus; (3) the effects of elevated CO₂ on Lupinus growth and symbiotic N₂ fixation in both monoculture and the nine-species assemblages; and (4) whether assemblages containing Lupinus exhibit larger physiological and growth responses to elevated CO₂ than those without. This study was part of a long-term grassland field experiment (BioCON) that controls atmospheric CO₂ at current ambient and elevated (560 µmol mol^–1) concentrations using free-air CO₂ enrichment. Nine-species plots with Lupinus had 32% higher whole plot plant N concentrations and 26% higher total plant N pools than those without Lupinus, based on both above and belowground measurements. Co-occurring non-fixer leaf N concentrations increased 22% and mass-based net photosynthetic rates increased 41% in plots containing Lupinus compared to those without. With CO₂ enrichment, Lupinus monocultures accumulated 32% more biomass and increased the proportion of N derived from fixation from 44% to 57%. In nine-species assemblages, Lupinus N derived from fixation increased similarly from 43% to 54%. Although Lupinus presence enhanced photosynthetic rates and leaf N concentrations of co-occurring non-fixers, and increased overall plant N pools, Lupinus presence did not facilitate stronger photosynthetic responses of non-fixing species or larger growth responses of overall plant communities to elevated CO₂. Non-fixer leaf N concentrations declined similarly in response to elevated CO₂ with and without Lupinus present and the relationship between net photosynthesis and leaf N was not affected by Lupinus presence. Regardless of the presence or absence of Lupinus, CO₂ enrichment resulted in reduced leaf N concentrations and rates of net photosynthesis.     

Global patterns of the responses of leaf-level photosynthesis and respiration in terrestrial plants to experimental warming

Aims The balance between leaf photosynthesis and respiration of terrestrial plants determines the net carbon (C) gain by vegetation and consequently is important to climate–C cycle feedback. This study is to reveal the global patterns of the responses of leaf-level net photosynthesis and dark respiration to elevated temperature.Methods Data for leaf-level net photosynthesis rate (P n) and dark respiration rate (R d) in natural terrestrial plant species with standard deviation (or standard error or confidence interval) and sample size were collected from searched literatures on Web of Science. Then a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the effects of experimental warming on leaf-level P n and R d of terrestrial plants.Important findings Across all the plants included in the analysis, warming enhanced P n and R d significantly by 6.13 and 33.14%, respectively. However, the responses were plant functional type (PFT) specific. Specifically, photosynthesis of C₄ herbs responded to experimental warming positively but that of C₃ herbs did not, whereas their respiratory responses were similar, suggesting C₄ plants would benefit more from warming. The photosynthetic response declined linearly with increasing ambient temperature. The respiratory responses linearly enhanced with the increase in warming magnitude. In addition, a thermal acclimation of R d, instead of P n, was observed. Although greater proportion of fixed C was consumed (greater R d / P n ratio), warming significantly enhanced the daily net C balance at the leaf level. This provides an important mechanism for the positive responses of plant biomass and net primary productivity to warming. Overall, the findings, including the contrastive responses of different PFTs and the enhancement in daily leaf net C balance, are important for improving model projection of the climate–C cycle feedback.     

Effects of elevated CO2 and nitrogen on growth ofPoa pratensis (L.)

The growth responses of a grass,Poa pratensis, to elevated CO₂ and nitrogen were investigated. Light-saturated photosynthetic rate per unit leaf area increased with exposure to elevated CO₂, while dry weight did not respond to increased CO₂. Patterns of biomass allocation within plants, including leaf area, leaf area ratio, specific leaf area, and root to shoot ratios, were not altered by elevated CO₂, but changed considerably with N treatment Shoot and whole-plant tissue N concentrations were significantly diluted by elevated CO₂ (Tukey test, P < 0.05). Total N content did not differ significantly among CO₂ treatments. The absence of a concomitant increase in N uptake under elevated CO₂ may have caused a dilution in plant tissue [N], probably negating the positive effects of increased photosynthesis on biomass accumulation.     

Exploiting leaf starch synthesis as a transient sink to elevate photosynthesis, plant productivity and yields

Improvements in plant productivity (biomass) and yield have centered on increasing the efficiency of leaf CO₂ fixation and utilization of products by non-photosynthetic sink organs. We had previously demonstrated a correlation between photosynthetic capacity, plant growth, and the extent of leaf starch synthesis utilizing starch-deficient mutants. This finding suggested that leaf starch is used as a transient photosynthetic sink to recycle inorganic phosphate and, in turn, maximize photosynthesis. To test this hypothesis, Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa L.) lines were generated with enhanced capacity to make leaf starch with minimal impact on carbon partitioning to sucrose. The Arabidopsis engineered plants exhibited enhanced photosynthetic capacity; this translated into increased growth and biomass. These enhanced phenotypes were displayed by similarly engineered rice lines. Manipulation of leaf starch is a viable alternative strategy to increase photosynthesis and, in turn, the growth and yields of crop and bioenergy plants.