Physiological Bases for Impaired Photosynthetic Performance of Chilling-Sensitive Fruit Trees

Chilling-sensitivity is an important agricultural problem in both the U.S. and Israel. Most research attention has focused so far on herbaceous crop plants, even though the problem is also acute in the fruit tree industry. Under BARD funding we made substantial progress in identifying the mechanisms involved in the disruption of photosynthesis following a chill in mango. Our investigation with fruit trees has been substantially accelerated by drawing on our knowledge and experience with herbaceous crops. The four original research objectives, focused or discovering the underlying mechanisms of chill-induced inhibition of photosynthesis in fruit trees, and the main achievements are listed below. [1] Separating stomatal from non-stomatal components of chilling on photosynthesis in fruit trees. We found evidence that the dark chill-induced inhibition of photosynthesis in mango was E combination of both stomatal and mesophyll components. [2] Differentiating photo damage from light-induced photo protection of photosystem II (PSII). Dark chilling exacerbate high light photoinhibition, as a result of primary inhibition in the carbor reduction cycle. Nevertheless, in Israeli orchards we observed chronic photoinhibition of PSII photochemistry in the winter. This photo damage was reversible over a few days if sunlight was attenuated with filters or night temperature rose. Practical implications of this finding deserve further investment. Additional achievement was the development of a new biophysical tool to study macro-structural changes of LHCII particles in intact, attached leaves. [3] Determine the role of oxidative stress in the dark-chilling-induced inhibition, with emphasis on oxygen radical scavenging, lipid peroxidation and redox-controlled carbon-cycle enzymes. We found an increase in lipid peroxidation following a dark chill, and partial protective effects or an antioxidant. However, the photoinhibition observed in mango orchards in Israel during the winter did not appear to be a general oxidative stress. [4] Investigate whether chilling interferes with the diurnal and circadian rhythm of gene expression of key photosynthetic proteins as has been shown for chilling-sensitive crop plants. The results indicated that most of the circadian rhythm in photosynthesis was due to reduced lea: internal CO2 concentrations during the subjective night, as a result of rhythmic stomatal closure Chilling-induced interference with circadian timing in mango, does not play the central role in chilling inhibition of photosynthesis that has previously been demonstrated in certain chilling sensitive herbaceous plants. Practical implications of the research achievements are feasible, but require few more years of research.