Use of chlorophyll fluorescence to estimate the effect of photoinhibition in outdoor cultures ofSpirulina platensis

Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were used to evaluate the effect of temperature on photoinhibition inSpirulina platensis cultures grown in tubular reactors outdoors. Cultures grown at 35 °C during the day time showed a lower reduction in the Fv/Fm ratio as compared to cultures grown at 25 °C. It is demonstrated that the lower temperature photoinhibited cells can undergo a complete recovery once transferred to low light and higher temperature. This recovery does not take place when 100 µg ml^-1 chloramphenicol is added to cells. The recovery is light dependent and cells incubated in the dark at low temperature do not show a recovery in the Fv/Fm ratio. The data presented strongly support the hypothesis that photoinhibition takes place in outdoorSpirulina cultures. At the same time it is demonstrated that fluorescence measurements can be used as a fast reliable indication for photoinhibition in outdoor algal cultures.Author for correspondencePublication No. 69 of the Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory.     

Seasonal Variation of Photoinhibition of Photosynthesis in Bark from Populus Tremula L.

In the bark of Populus tremula L. photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (PS2) determined as Fv/Fm decreased during winter. The strongest reduction was found after cold periods. The degree of reduction depended on irradiance since the lowest levels of Fv/Fm were found on the sun-exposed side of the stem and below thin phellem. Therefore, photoinhibition was partly responsible for the reduction in Fv/Fm. The photochemical efficiency of PS2 recovered in late April about a month before the trees got leaves. In the laboratory, Fv/Fm recovered within about a week under low irradiance at 20 °C. Rapid recovery of photochemical efficiency of PS2 in the bark may be important to reduce respiratory loss of CO2 from the stem before the trees get leaves.     

Evaluation of Wheat Chromosome Translocation Lines for High Temperature Stress Tolerance at Grain Filling Stage

High temperature (HT, heat) stress is detrimental to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Wild relatives of bread wheat may offer sources of HT stress tolerance genes because they grow in stressed habitats. Wheat chromosome translocation lines, produced by introgressing small segments of chromosome from wild relatives to bread wheat, were evaluated for tolerance to HT stress during the grain filling stage. Sixteen translocation lines and four wheat cultivars were grown at optimum temperature (OT) of 22/14°C (day/night). Ten days after anthesis, half of the plants were exposed to HT stress of 34/26°C for 16 d, and other half remained at OT. Results showed that HT stress decreased grain yield by 43% compared with OT. Decrease in individual grain weight (by 44%) was the main reason for yield decline at HT. High temperature stress had adverse effects on leaf chlorophyll content and Fv/Fm; and a significant decrease in Fv/Fm was associated with a decline in individual grain weight. Based on the heat response (heat susceptibility indices, HSIs) of physiological and yield traits to each other and to yield HSI, TA5594, TA5617, and TA5088 were highly tolerant and TA5637 and TA5640 were highly susceptible to HT stress. Our results suggest that change in Fv/Fm is a highly useful trait in screening genotypes for HT stress tolerance. This study showed that there is genetic variability among wheat chromosome translocation lines for HT stress tolerance at the grain filling stage and we suggest further screening of a larger set of translocation lines.     

低温胁迫下不同甘蔗品种(系)光合特性的变化及其与耐寒性的关系

以广西农科院甘蔗研究所自育的7个新材料和2个生产上的主栽品种为研究对象,在甘蔗苗期进行低温胁迫处理,研究了各品种(系)甘蔗形态特征的冷害指数、叶绿素含量及光合特性相关指标的变化及其光合特性相关指标与甘蔗抗寒性间的相关性。结果表明:随着低温胁迫处理时间的延长,冷害指数不断增大,但变化的大小与快慢因品种(系)不同表现不一样。各甘蔗品种(系)叶片叶绿素含量均随时间延长而降低。叶片净光合速率、气孔导度在低温处理与常温处理间具有显著差异。低温胁迫处理显著降低了各甘蔗品种(系)最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)、PSⅡ实际光能转化效率ΦPSⅡ、光适应下PSⅡ反应中心的最大光能转化效率Fv′/Fm′、光化学猝灭系数qP、电子传递速率ETR,而显著提高了初始荧光Fo、稳态荧光Fs、非光化学猝灭系数qNP。相关性分析表明整个测定时期各指标间相关显著,Fv/Fm、Fv′/Fm′、ΦPSⅡ与冷害指数I之间的相关系数在0.800以上,Fv/Fm、Fv′/Fm′、ΦPSⅡ可以作为甘蔗品种(系)抗寒性鉴定的重要参考指标。     

Dirunal leaf movement, chlorophyll fluorescence and carbon assimilation in soybean grown under different nitrogen and water availabilities

Diurnal heliotropic leaf movements, photosynthetic gas exchange, and the ratio of variable fluorescence to maximum fluorescence (Fv/Fm) of unrestrained and horizontally restrained leaves from soybean (Glycine max cv. Cumberland) plants grown in two different water and two different nitrogen treatments were measured. Leaves of plants grown in low water or low nitrogen availability treatments displayed more pronounced diaheliotropism (solar tracking) in the afternoon and a longer period of paraheliotropism (light avoiding) at midday relative to those of well-watered, high-nitrogen-grown plants. Photosaturated photosynthetic rates and the photon flux required to saturate photosynthesis were reduced by water stress and nitrogen deficiency. Compared to horizontal leaves, irradiance on orienting leaves was nearer to the breakpoint of the photosynthetic light response curve, where photosynthesis is co-limited by ribulose biphosphate regeneration and carboxylation. This would increase the carbon return on investments of nitrogen into photosynthesis. A positive linear relationship between Fv/Fm and quantum yield of photosynthesis was measured. Leaves of low-nitrogen-grown plants had earlier and more prolonged reductions in Fv/Fm at midday compared to leaves of high nitrogen grown plants of the same water treatment. Within the same water and nitrogen treatment, horizontally restrained leaves had lower midday Fv/Fm in relation to orienting leaves. Nitrogen deficiency and water stress enhanced this difference such that horizontally restrained leaves of low water and low nitrogen grown plants had earlier and longer midday depressions in Fv/Fm.     

Activation,synthesis and turnover of nitrate reductase controlled by nitrate and ammonium in Chlorella vulgaris

Cells of Anacystis nidulans grown at 25 or 30°C were examined both by thin-section and freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Cells grown at either temperature appeared similar when fixed at the growth temperature prior to observation. When cells were chilled to near 0°C for 30 min prior to fixation, those previously grown at 25° appeared unchanged as judged by thin sectioning while those grown at 39° showed considerable morphological alteration. Freeze fracture showed particle aggregation (more pronounced in 39°-grown cells) indicating lipid-phase separation in cells chilled prior to fixation. The phase separation was totally reversed by rewarming the chilled, 25°-grown cells to their growth temperature but was only partially reversed by rewarming chilled, 39°-grown cells. These results correlate with other effects of chilling seen in Anacystis cells grown at different temperatures.     

Temperature-induced alterations of in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence induction in cucumber as affected by DCMU

Induction of chlorophyll a fluorescence and photosynthesis as affected by temperature were measured in cucumber leaf discs. Abrupt changes of the maximal variable fluorescence, Fv(p), and photosynthesis were observed around 9° and 21°C when the temperature was decreased from 30° to 0°C. The temperature-dependent maximal fluorescence of DCMU-treated leaf discs showed a single change around 21°C. Temperature-induced chlorophyll a fluorescence alterations are discussed in relation to electron transport activity of the two photosystems and photosynthetic activity of the cucumber leaf discs.Abbreviations DCMU 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea - Fm maximal fluorescence - Fv(p) maximal variable fluorescence - qE energy-dependent fluorescence quenching - qQ Qa-dependent fluorescence quenching     

Activation of photoprotective winter photoinhibition in plants from different environments: a literature compilation and meta‐analysis

Overwintering plants face a pronounced imbalance between light capture and use of that excitation for photosynthesis. In response, plants upregulate thermal dissipation, with concomitant reductions in photochemical efficiency, in a process characterized by a slow recovery upon warming. These sustained depressions of photochemical efficiency are termed winter photoinhibition (WPI) here. WPI has been extensively studied in conifers and in few overwintering crops, but other plant species have received less attention. Furthermore, the literature shows some controversies about the association of WPI with xanthophylls and the environmental conditions that control xanthophylls conversion. To overview current knowledge and identify knowledge gaps on WPI mechanisms, we performed a comprehensive meta‐analysis of literature published over the period 1991–2011. All publications containing measurements of Fv/Fm for a cold period and a corresponding warm control were included in our final database of 190 studies on 162 species. WPI was estimated as the relative decrease in Fv/Fm. High WPI was always accompanied by a high (A + Z)/(V + A + Z). Activation of lasting WPI was directly related to air temperature, with a threshold of around 0°C. Tropical plants presented earlier (at a temperature of >0°C) and higher WPI than non‐tropical plants. We conclude that (1) activation of a xanthophyll‐dependent mechanism of WPI is a requisite for maintaining photosynthetic structures at sub‐zero temperatures, while (2) absence (or low levels) of WPI is not necessarily related to low (A + Z)/(V + A + Z); and (3) the air temperature that triggers lasting WPI, and the maximum level of WPI, do not depend on plant growth habit or bioclimatic origin of species.     

Effects of Cold Acclimation and Salicylic Acid on Changes in ACC and MACC Contents in Maize during Chilling

The effect of 0.5 mM salicylic acid (SA) pretreatment and of growing at hardening temperatures on chilling-induced changes in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and malonyl 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (MACC) was investigated in young maize (Zea mays L.) plants grown in hydroponic solution at 22/20 °C. Chilling at 5 °C caused an increase in ACC content;however, this increase was less pronounced in plants cold acclimated at 13/11 °C 4 d before the chilling treatment, and in those which were pretreated with SA for 1 d before the cold stress. Changes in MACC at low temperature showed no correlation with chilling tolerance in maize.     

Thermoluminescence Investigation of Low Temperature Stress in Maize

The thermoluminescence (TL) emission of photosynthesising materials originates from the recombination of charge pairs created by a previous excitation. Using a recently described TL set-up the effect of chilling stress on TL bands occurring at positive temperatures (AG, B, and HTL) was investigated in intact leaves. The far-red irradiation of leaves at low, but non-freezing temperatures induced a TL band peaking at around 40–45 °C (AG band), together with a B band peaking between 20 and 35 °C. Low temperature stress first caused a downshift and a temporary increase in the AG band after 4 h at 0 °C in the light, then a decrease in the AG and B TL bands after 1 d at 0 °C in the light. This decrease was less pronounced in cold-tolerant genotypes and in those grown at acclimating temperatures. Furthermore, an additional band appeared above 80 °C after severe cold stress. This band indicates the presence of lipid peroxides. Thus TL is a useful technique for studying the effects of low temperature stress.     

Photochemical Efficiency of PSⅡ and Characteristics of Photosynthetic CO2 Exchange in Indica and Japonica Subspecies of Rice and Their Reciprocal Cross F1 Hybrids Under Photoinhibitory Conditions

To elucidate photoinhibitory characteristics and their genetic background in rice (Oryza sativa L. ), PS Ⅱ electron transport activities, D1 protein contents, chlorophyll a fluorecence parameters, net photosynthetic rates (PN), photorespiratory rates (PR) and RuBPCase/Oase activities were measured, and kinetic analysis of RuBPCase was carried out in indica and japonica subspecies of rice and their reciprocal cross Fl hybrids after photoinhibitory treatment in 21% O2 and CO2-free gases under a PFD of 1 000/anol photons'm-2 · s-l for 3 h. The results are as follows: Japonica rice, keeping less net degradation of D1 protein and maintaining higher PS Ⅱ electron transport activities and photo chemical efficiency of PS Ⅱ (FV/Fm), was more tolerant to photo inhibition as compared with indica rice. However, the D1 protein contents, PS Ⅱ electron transport activities and Fv/Fm in their reciprocal cross F1 hybrids, though lying between the values of their parents, were closer to those in their maternal lines rather to their paternal lines. Characteristics of photosynthetic CO2 exchange were further observed. The Pa was relatively stable, yet the PN decreased obviously and, as a results, the PR/PN increased in all genotypes. There were more decrease in PN and more increase in PR/PN in photoinhibition-sensitive indica than in the photoinhibition-tolerant japonica. However, the PR/PN in the reciprocal cross Fl hybrids, though lying between the values of their parents, was closer to that in their maternal lines than to paternal lines. No obvious changes were observed in the activities of RuBPCase/Oase, Km (CO2) and Vmax (CO2) of RuBPCase in indica and japonica rice and their reciprocal cross F1 hybrids before and after photoinhibitory treatment. Furthermore, markedly positive correlation between D1 protein contents and Fv/Fm(r = -0.950 1), and negative correlation between D1 protein contents and PR/PN(r = 0.976 8) were demons trated. These results infer that the D1 protein encoded by the plastid gene from maternal line was the molecular basis of photoinhibitory characteristics and their physiological inheritance.     

Comparison of the effects of nitrate and ammonium forms of nitrogen on auxin content in roots and the growth of plants under different temperature conditions

Average root length, root/shoot ratio and auxin content in roots were higher in plants supplied with nitrate rather than ammonium and grown at 18, 21, 24°C. The effects on root length were most pronounced at the highest temperatures (21 and 24°C); and the warmer the temperature, the earlier appearance of the differences in growth rate between NO₃- and NH₄-fed plants. A sharp acceleration of root growth was characteristic of NO₃-fed plants grown at 21 and 24°C and was associated with a temporary increase in auxin concentration measured by immunoassay.     

The Cold Tolerance of Indica Type Rice in Relation to Its Parents

To understand the inheritance of cold tolerant characteristics of rice (Oryza sativa L. ), the authors investigated the cold tolerance of hybrid progenies in relation to their parental lines which were "Qinghua 6—a cold sensitive cultivar and "Guishan’aixuan 3”— a cold tolerant cultivar. The hybrid progenies were the cross and the reciprocal cross of these two cultivars. Results showed that after 1℃ dark or light (250 μmol · m-2 · s-1) treatment, the survival rate of seedlings was higher in "Guishan’aixuan 3” than that in "Qinghua 6”. That of the hybrid "Qinghua 6” ( ♂ )× "Guishan’aixuan 3” (♀) was higher than that . in hybrid "Guishan’aixuan 3” ( ♂ ) × "Qinghua 6” (♀). Detached flag leaves at heading stage when treated in light and chilling condition for 12, 24, 36 h, there was also less decrease of photosynthesis in "Guishan’aixuan 3” and "Qinghua 6” ( ♂ ) × "Guishan’aixuan 3” (♀) than in “Qinghua 6” and “Guishan’aixuan 3” ( ♂ ) × “Qinghua 6” ( ♀ ). After being treated for 12 h, respiratory rate rose in the former but not the latter. Changes of fluorescence parameters, rise of Fo and decline of Fm and Fv, were caused by 1 ℃ and light (250 μmol·m-2·s-1) treatment. The decrease of Fv/Fo and Fv/Fm were more apparent in the former than in the latter after light and chilling treatment for 24 h, with a much faster recovery under normal temperature in the former than in the latter. Effect of the natural low temperature (cold, dew and wind) on the chlorophyll fluorescence of rice was similar to that of artificial treatment. It was suggested that cold tolerance of rice progenies seemed to be from maternal inheritance.     

Chilling-induced photoinhibition in nine isolates of Valonia utricularis (Chlorophyta) from different climate regions

Chilling induced inhibition of photosynthesis was studied in nine isolates of the marine tropical to warm-temperate green macrophyte Valonia utricularis (Roth) C. Agardh. According to their temperature requirements for growth and survival, the isolates belong to a cold-tolerant Atlantic/Mediterranean group and a cold-sensitive Indo-west Pacific group. After 5 hours exposure to 5 degrees C under moderate light, all isolates experienced similar substantial photoinhibition, which approached steady state levels after a decline in Fv/Fm to about 40% of the initial values. After return to optimal temperature and dim light conditions, Fv/Fm values increased with biphasic kinetics. A fast phase with half-life times of less than 30 minutes (dynamic photoinhibition) was followed by a slow phase lasting a few hours, indicating repair of photodamaged PSII reaction centres (chronic photoinhibition). In the Atlantic/Mediterranean isolates the fast phase accounted for more than 80 % of the recovery response, showing that these isolates were able to cope with the applied low temperature stress by down-regulating their PSII reaction centres. In contrast, the two isolates from the Seychelles were predominantly photodamaged. In a second experiment, three isolates (Corsica, Seychelles, Japan) were exposed to a similar relative amount of cold stress (0, 10, 15 degrees C, respectively). The Japanese isolate and the isolate from the Seychelles showed significantly less inhibition compared to 5 degrees C exposure, but no significant difference was found in the Corsican isolate. However, the degree of low temperature stress had no significant influence on the relative contributions of dynamic and chronic photoinhibition. Only two of the seven investigated isolates had a lower final inhibition level when grown at sub-optimal temperatures than at optimal temperatures. However, all sub-optimally grown Atlantic/Mediterranean isolates exhibited faster recovery kinetics from chilling-induced photoinhibition than optimally grown plants. This is related to a faster recovery from chronic photoinhibition than to a higher relative contribution of dynamic photoinhibition. A specific role of the photoprotective pigments of the xanthophyll cycle, leading to an acclimation response in the Atlantic/Mediterranean isolates may be involved. We conclude that ecotypic differentiation in V. utricularis is mirrored in different degrees of susceptibility to low temperature stress.     

Abscisic acid and mefluidide in the regulation of cold hardiness development in Solanum tuberosum L. potato

Plants of Solanum tuberosum L. potato do not cold acclimate when exposed to low temperature such as 5°C, day/night. When ABA (45 M) was added to the culture medium, stem-cultured plantlets of S. tuberosum, cv. Red Pontiac, either grown at 20°C/15°C, day/night, or at 5°C, increased in cold hardiness from –2°C (killing temperature) to –4.5°C. The increase in cold hardiness could be inhibited in both temperature regimes if cycloheximide (70 M) was added to the culture medium at the inception of ABA treatment. Cycloheximide did not inhibit cold hardiness development, however, when it was added to the culture medium 3 days after ABA treatment.When pot-grown plants were foliar sprayed with mefluidide (50 M), ABA content increased from 10 nmol to 30 nmol g^–1 dry weight and plants increased in cold hardiness from –2°C to about –3.5°C. The increases in free ABA and cold hardiness occurred only in plants grown at 20°C/15°C; neither ABA nor cold hardiness increased in plants grown at 5°C.The results suggest that an increase in ABA and a subsequent de novo synthesis of proteins are required for the development of cold hardiness in S. tuberosum regardless of temperature regime, and that the inability to synthesize ABA at low temperature, rather than protein synthesis, appears to be the reason why S. tuberosum does not cold acclimate.     

The Effect of Elevated [CO2] on Growth and Photosynthesis of Two Eucalyptus Species Exposed to High Temperatures and Water Deficits

Two species of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha and Eucalyptus rossii) were grown for 8 weeks in either ambient (350 [mu]L L-1) or elevated (700 [mu]L L-1) CO2 concentrations, either well watered or without water additions, and subjected to a daily, 3-h high-temperature (45[deg]C, maximum) and high-light (1250 [mu]mol photons m-2 s-1, maximum) stress period. Water-stressed seedlings of E. macrorhyncha had higher leaf water potentials when grown in elevated [CO2]. Growth analysis indicated that increased [CO2] may allow eucalyptus species to perform better during conditions of low soil moisture. A down-regulation of photosynthetic capacity was observed for seedlings grown in elevated [CO2] when well watered but not when water stressed. Well-watered seedlings grown in elevated [CO2] had lower quantum efficiencies as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence (the ratio of variable to maximal chlorophyll fluorescence [Fv/Fm]) than seedlings grown in ambient [CO2] during the high-temperature stress period. However, no significant differences in Fv/Fm were observed between CO2 treatments when water was withheld. The reductions in dark-adapted Fv/Fm for plants grown in elevated [CO2] were not well correlated with increased xanthophyll cycle photoprotection. However, reductions in the Fv/Fm were correlated with increased levels of nonstructural carbohydrates. The reduction in quantum efficiencies for plants grown in elevated [CO2] is discussed in the context of feedback inhibition of electron transport associated with starch accumulation and variation in sink strength.     

Chlorophyll fluorescence responses to temperature and water availability in two co-dominant Mediterranean shrub and tree species in a long-term field experiment simulating climate change

A rain exclusion experiment simulating drought conditions expected in Mediterranean areas for the following decades (15% decrease in soil moisture) is being conducted since 1999 in a Mediterranean holm oak forest to study its response to the forecasted climatic changes for the coming decades. The maximum PSII quantum yield of primary photochemistry (Fv/Fm) was measured in Quercus ilex, and Phillyrea latifolia, the co-dominant species of the studied forest, from 1999 to 2009 in four plots: two of them were control plots and the other two plots received the rain exclusion treatment. In both species, the Fv/Fm values were highly dependent on air temperatures, and in a second term, in water availability. P. latifolia was the species with the larger decrease in Fv/Fm values induced by low air temperatures, while in hot seasons, the Fv/Fm values in P. latifolia were even higher than in Q. ilex. Rainfall exclusion decrease Fv/Fm values significantly only in few monitoring dates. The most drought resistant species P. latifolia was more affected by the experimental rainfall exclusion than Q. ilex that instead lost number of leaves per tree. There was a synergic effect of drought stress and winter cold in P. latifolia not observed in Q. ilex, but a more conservative strategy in P. latifolia maintaining leaves with a down-regulation of the linear photosynthetic electron transport. These results indicate that, although other physiological and reproductive strategies at whole plant level must be also taken into account, the warmer and drier environment expected for the following decades could favour the species more sensitive to cold and more resistant to drought, the shrub P. latifolia, in detriment of the tree Q. ilex as already observed in the field after severe heat-drought episodes.     

Diurnal and Seasonal Changes in Prunus Amygdalus Gas Exchanges

Diurnal courses in net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), leaf water potential (), internal CO2 concentration (ci), and water use efficiency (WUE) were studied as season progressed, in relation to environmental factors in field grown Prunus amygdalus. In sun leaves PN reached maximum between 09:00 to 11:00 h and subsequently declined when high temperature and low humidity occurred. An increase was observed late in the afternoon. A decrease in gs and was found as season progressed in both years of measurements. In periods of high evaporative demand, was very low, however, it did not explain the reductions of PN in all the three periods (spring, early and late summer). Midday depression of PN and gs seemed to be related with leaf temperature (Tl) and high irradiance. Increase in ci and F0 and decrease in Fv/Fm found between 12:00 and 14:00 h corresponded to the decrease in PN. Therefore, a transient modification of photosynthetic machinery might be considered. WUE was negatively correlated with vapour pressure difference of leaf to air, that decreased during the day. The September values, higher than in the previous months, were due to the lower seasonal decreases in PN than in gs.     

The Role of Antioxidant Systems in the Cold Stress Response of Escherichia coli

The response of aerobically grown Escherichia coli cells to the cold shock induced by the rapid lowering of growth temperature from 37 to 20°C was found to be basically the same as the oxidative stress response. The enhanced sensitivity of cells deficient in two superoxide dismutases, Mn-SOD and Fe-SOD, and the increased expression of the Mn-SOD gene, sodA, in response to cold stress were interpreted as both oxidative and cold stresses are due to a rise in the intracellular level of superoxide anion. The long-term cultivation of E. coli at 20°C was also accompanied by the typical oxidative stress response reactions—an enhanced expression of the Mn-SOD and catalase HPI genes and a decrease in the intracellular level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and in the GSH/GSSG ratio.     

Cold acclimation and photoinhibition of photosynthesis in Scots pine

Cold acclimation of Scots pine did not affect the susceptibility of photosynthesis to photoinhibition. Cold acclimation did however cause a suppression of the rate of CO₂ uptake, and at given light and temperature conditions a larger fraction of the photosystem II reaction centres were closed in cold-acclimated than in nonacclimated pine. Therefore, when assayed at the level of photosystem II reaction centres, i.e. in relation to the degree of photosystem closure, cold acclimation caused a significant increase in resistance to photoinhibition; at given levels of photosystem II closure the resistance to photoinhibition was higher after cold acclimation. This was particularly evident in measurements at 20° C. The amounts and activities of the majority of analyzed active oxygen scavengers were higher after cold acclimation. We suggest that this increase in protective enzymes and compounds, particularly Superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and ascorbate of the chloroplasts, enables Scots pine to avoid excessive photoinhibition of photosynthesis despite partial suppression of photosynthesis upon cold acclimation. An increased capacity for light-induced de-epoxidation of violaxanthin to zeaxanthin upon cold acclimation may also be of significance.Abbreviations APX ascorbate peroxidase - DHA dehydroascorbate - DHAR dehydroascorbate reductase - Fm maximal fluorescence when all reaction centres are closed - Fv/Fm maximum photochemical yield of PSII - GR glutathione reductase - GSH reduced glutathione - Je rate of photosynthetic electron transport - MDAR monodehydroascorbate reductase - q_N nonphotochemical quenching of fluorescence - q_P photochemical quenching of fluorescence - SOD superoxide dismutase This work was supported by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.