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Using the rapid A‐C i response (RACiR) in the Li‐Cor 6400 to measure developmental gradients of photosynthetic capacity in poplar
Author(s) -
Lawrence Erica H.,
Stinziano Joseph R.,
Hanson David T.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/pce.13436
Subject(s) - photosynthesis , photosynthetic capacity , stomatal conductance , botany , biology , respiration , transpiration , respiration rate , horticulture
The rapid A‐C i response (RACiR) technique alleviates limitations of measuring photosynthetic capacity by reducing the time needed to determine the maximum carboxylation rate (V cmax ) and electron transport rate (J max ) in leaves. Photosynthetic capacity and its relationships with leaf development are important for understanding ecological and agricultural productivity; however, our current understanding is incomplete. Here, we show that RACiR can be used in previous generation gas exchange systems (i.e., the LI‐6400) and apply this method to rapidly investigate developmental gradients of photosynthetic capacity in poplar. We compared RACiR‐determined V cmax and J max as well as respiration and stomatal conductance (g s ) across four stages of leaf expansion in Populus deltoides and the poplar hybrid 717‐1B4 ( Populus tremula × Populus alba ). These physiological data were paired with leaf traits including nitrogen concentration, chlorophyll concentrations, and specific leaf area. Several traits displayed developmental trends that differed between the poplar species, demonstrating the utility of RACiR approaches to rapidly generate accurate measures of photosynthetic capacity. By using both new and old machines, we have shown how more investigators will be able to incorporate measurements of important photosynthetic traits in future studies and further our understanding of relationships between development and leaf‐level physiology.