Photosynthesis in Grass Species Differing in Carbon Dioxide Fixation Pathways

Measurements of CO(2) exchange at varying O(2) concentrations in seven grass species of the Laxa group of Panicum and activities of five photosynthetic enzymes were compared to values obtained for these characters in a cool season C(3) grass, tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and a C(4) grass, P. maximum Jacq. Plants were divided into three groups on the basis of the inhibition of apparent photosynthesis by 21% O(2.) Rates of apparent photosynthesis in P. prionitis Griseb. and P. maximum were virtually unaffected by changes in O(2) concentration. In another group consisting of P. hylaeicum Mez., P. rivulare Trin., P. laxum Sw., and tall fescue apparent photosynthesis was inhibited by 28.2 to 36.0% at 21% O(2.) An intermediate inhibition of 20.6 to 23.3% at 21% O(2) was exhibited by P. milioides Nees ex Trin., P. schenckii Hack., and P. decipiens Nees ex Trin. The CO(2) compensation concentration for P. prionitis and P. maximum was low (</=6 microliters per liter CO(2) at 21% O(2)) and affected little by O(2), whereas values for P. hylaeicum, P. rivulare, P. laxum, and tall fescue were much greater, and increased almost linearly from 2 to 48% O(2.) Values for P. milioides, P. schenckii, and P. decipiens were intermediate to the other two groups. The effect of O(2) on total leaf conductance to CO(2) was similar to the C(3) grasses and the intermediate Panicums. However, estimates of photorespiration in the intermediate species were low and changed little with O(2) in comparison to estimates for the C(3) species which were higher and increased greatly with increased O(2.)Activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase were greatest in P. maximum and P. prionitis and one-fourth or less in the remaining species. Activity of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase was 548 micromoles per mg chlorophyll per hour in tall fescue; activity in the remaining species was approximately one-fourth or less of that in tall fescue, with the exception of P. rivulare, in which it was 440 micromoles per milligram chlorphyll per hour. High activities of two C(4) decarboxylating enzymes, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and NADP-malic enzyme, were observed in P. maximum (1,988 micromoles per milligram chlorophyll per hour) and P. prionitis (125 micromoles per milligram chlorophyll per hour), respectively. Only minimal activities of decarboxylating enzymes were detected in the remaining species.