Deriving fluorometer-specific values of relative PSI fluorescence intensity from quenching of F 0 fluorescence in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays

The effect of stepwise increments of red light intensities on pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence from leaves of A. thaliana and Z. mays was investigated. Minimum and maximum fluorescence were measured before illumination (F ₀ and F _M, respectively) and at the end of each light step ( $ F^{prime}_{0} $ and $ F^{prime}_{text{M}} $ , respectively). Calculated $ F^{prime}_{0} $ values derived from F ₀, F _M and $ F^{prime}_{text{M}} $ fluorescence according to Oxborough and Baker (1997) were lower than the corresponding measured $ F^{prime}_{0} $ values. Based on the concept that calculated $ F^{prime}_{0} $ values are under-estimated because the underlying theory ignores PSI fluorescence, a method was devised to gain relative PSI fluorescence intensities from differences between calculated and measured $ F^{prime}_{0} $ . This method yields fluorometer-specific PSI data as its input data (F ₀, F _M, $ F^{prime}_{0} $ and $ F^{prime}_{text{M}} $ ) depend solely on the spectral properties of the fluorometer used. Under the present conditions, the PSI contribution to F ₀ fluorescence was 0.24 in A. thaliana and it was independent on the light acclimation status; the corresponding value was 0.50 in Z. mays. Correction for PSI fluorescence affected Z. mays most: the linear relationship between PSI and PSII photochemical yields was clearly shifted toward the one-to-one proportionality line and maximum electron transport was increased by 50 %. Further, correction for PSI fluorescence increased the PSII reaction center-specific parameter, 1/F ₀ ? 1/F _M, up to 50 % in A. thaliana and up to 400 % in Z. mays.