Interaction between photon flux density and elevated temperatures on photoinhibition in Alocasia macrorrhiza

The effects of light and elevated temperatures on the efficiency of energy conversion in PSII ?_PSII = (Fm′−Fs)/Fm′], pigment composition and heat tolerance of shade-acclimated Alocasia macrorrhiza were investigated. Leaf discs were exposed for 3 h to high light (HL; 1600 μmol photons · m⁻² · s⁻¹) or low light (LL; 20 μmol photons · m⁻² · s⁻¹) and a series of constant temperatures ranging from 30 to 49 °C. All HL treatments led to rapid and severe decreases in ?_PSII. During the 2-h recovery period (LL, 25 °C) following the HL treatments, fast and slow recovery phases could be distinguished. Leaf discs that had experienced HL and 30 °C recovered completely while no recovery of ?_PSII was seen after a 3-h exposure to HL and 45 °C. A 3-h exposure to 45 °C at LL led to a less severe decrease in ?_PSII and complete recovery was accomplished after less than 1 h. Under LL conditions a temperature of 49 °C was necessary to cause an irreversible decrease in ?_PSII, followed by necrosis the next day. Streptomycin had no effect on the degree of reduction and recovery in ?_PSII discs exposed to HL and 35–45 °C, but partially inhibited recovery in discs exposed to HL and 30 °C. Streptomycin led to a more severe decrease in ?_PSII at LL and 49 °C and completely inhibited recovery. Streptomycin had no effect on the conversion of the xanthophyll-cycle pigments during the treatment or the recovery. The epoxidation state was roughly the same in all leaf discs after a 3-h HL treatment (0.270–0.346) irrespective of the exposure temperature. The back-conversion of zeaxanthin into violaxanthin after a 2-h recovery period was only seen in leaf discs that had been exposed to HL and 30 °C. The thermotolerance of shade A. macrorrhiza leaves of 49.0 ± 0.7 °C (determined by fluorescence) coincided with the temperature at which damage occurred in leaf discs exposed to LL. However, under HL the critical temperature under which necrosis occurred was much lower (42 °C). The thermotolerance of A. macrorrhiza shade leaves could be increased by a short exposure (<20 min) to slightly elevated temperatures. Received: 11 June 1997 / Accepted: 9 September 1997