Seasonal photosynthesis and anthocyanin production in 10 broadleaf evergreen species

Functional Plant Biology : FPB
Nicole M Hughes, William K Smith

Abstract

Leaves of many evergreen species turn red when exposed to high sunlight during winter due to production of photoprotective anthocyanin pigments, while leaves of other species, lacking anthocyanin, remain green. Why some evergreen species synthesise anthocyanin pigments while others do not is currently unknown. Furthermore, the relative photosynthetic performance of anthocyanic (red) and acyanic (green) evergreens has yet to be described. Here we present seasonal ecophysiological data for five red and green broadleaf evergreen species. We hypothesise that species which synthesise anthocyanins in winter leaves correspond to those with the most drastic seasonal photosynthetic declines, as reduced energy sinks increase vulnerability to photoinhibition and need for photoprotection. Our results did not support this hypothesis, as gas exchange measurements showed no difference in mean seasonal photosynthetic capacity between red- and green-leafed species. Consistent with anthocyanin's shading effect, red-leafed species had significantly higher chlorophyll content, lower chlorophyll a/b ratios, and higher maximum light capture efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) than green-leafed species during the winter, but not during the summer (when all le...Continue Reading

References

Sep 5, 2002·Physiologia Plantarum·Kevin S GouldMichael J Clearwater
Sep 18, 2002·Trends in Plant Science·Ron Mittler
Sep 25, 2003·Annual Review of Plant Biology·Gunnar Oquist, Norman P A Huner
Mar 8, 2005·Journal of Theoretical Biology·E A Codling, N A Hill
Mar 1, 2003·Functional Plant Biology : FPB·Yiannis ManetasAntonia Drinia

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Citations

Mar 8, 2011·The New Phytologist·Nicole M Hughes
Mar 1, 2012·Photochemistry and Photobiology·Adilson Pereira Domingues JúniorPaulo Mazzafera
Mar 6, 2010·Journal of Experimental Botany·Nicole M HughesWilliam K Smith
Nov 6, 2014·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Kaylyn L CarpenterNicole M Hughes
Jun 12, 2009·The New Phytologist·Simcha Lev-Yadun, Jarmo K Holopainen
Aug 22, 2008·Physiologia Plantarum·Pengmin LiLailiang Cheng

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