Impact of Drought, Heat, and Their Combination on Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Yield of Wild Barley (Hordeum spontaneum). (5th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jedmowski, Christoph; Ashoub, Ahmed; Momtaz, Osama; Brüggemann, Wolfgang
• Other Names: Rengel Zed Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of botany. Volume 2015(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-11-05
• Subjects: Botany -- Periodicals; Plants -- Periodicals; 580.5
• DOI: 10.1155/2015/120868
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-0120

Abstract

Abstract : The impact of (long-term) drought acclimation and (short-term) heat stress and their combination on fast chlorophyll fluorescence induction curves (OJIP) and grain yield was tested using pot-grown plants of wild barley ( Hordeum spontaneum ) originating from Northern Egypt. Concerning agronomic traits, the main effect of drought was decreased biomass accumulation and grain yield, while heat specifically affected floral development. The treatments caused specific inhibitions of photosystem II (PSII) functionality. While heat stressed plants showed a reduction of maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (φ P 0 ), an indication of effects on oxygen evolving complex (OEC) functionality, and the connectivity of PSII units, these features were entirely missing in drought acclimated plants. Drought caused a reduction of the Performance Index (P I abs ) and of the relative amplitude of the IP-phase of the OJIP induction curve (Δ V IP ). Individuals suffering from a combination of drought and heat showed a better ability to recover photosynthetic electron transport after the relief of stress in comparison to heat stressed plants. However, this improved capacity to recover was not accompanied by an increased grain yield. Thus, we conclude that chlorophyll fluorescence measurements provide valuable physiological data; however, their use in agronomic studies for the prediction of agronomic traits should be done with some precaution.