- Title
- The interactive effects of light, temperature and CO₂/O₂ ratios in photosynthesis of Coix lachryma-jobi L
- Creator
- Mjwara, Jabulani Michael
- Subject
- Coix
- Subject
- Plants -- Effect of light on
- Subject
- Plants -- Effect of oxygen on
- Subject
- Plants -- Effect of carbon dioxide on
- Subject
- Photosynthesis
- Subject
- Plants -- Effect of temperature on
- Date Issued
- 1992
- Date
- 1992
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MSc
- Identifier
- vital:4216
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003785
- Description
- A portable infra red gas analyzer was used to investigate the interactive effects of light, temperature, and CO,jO, ratios under controlled environmental conditions in an attempt to model gas exchange characteristics of Coix Iachryma-jobi L. Plotting light response curves as a function of temperature (20, 25 30 and 35°C) revealed no sign of light saturation even at a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) close to 2000 !Lmol m-' sol. High net assimilation rates (A) of approximately 24 !Lmol CO, m"s'! were realized at 30-35°C. Assimilation (A) versus internal CO, partial pressure (C,) curves showed a steep rise with increase in C, but saturated at approximately 150 (JLII-!) and all the results, either in the absence or presence of 0" showed a similar response under all temperature regimes. C. Iachryma-jobi exhibited low CO, compensation points cr ) between 0 and 10 JLlI-! under similar experimental temperatures and either at 0 or 21%0,. The slopes of double reciprocal plots of llA versus llCi, were nearly identical and crossed the yintercept at almost identical points under all 0, concentrations. These data indicate first; that there was no apparent 0, inhibition and second; indicated that the apparent inhIbitor constant (K,) for 0, at the site of carboxylation did not change with increase in [OJ from 0 to 21% oxygen. These observations were further confirmed by results obtained from the analysis of apparent carboxylation efficiency (CE, as defined as the slope of response of A to increasing CO,), as no inhibition of A with increase of [OJ occurred. These characteristics were consistent with typical features of C,photosynthesis. The absence of 0, inhibition and low r values indicated that an efficient CO, concentrating mechanism which eliminates photorespiration exists in C. Iachryma-jobi. At the light microscope level, leaf anatomy exhibited typical C, structure viz. bundle sheath with large chloroplasts and this sheath is further surrounded by a radiate Kranz mesophyU cells. Furthermore the anatomical features suggested that C. wchryma-jobi was an NADP-ME species. Stomatal conductance (g,) to assimilation (g,/A) indicated an increase in A with decrease in g" an essential feature of improving water use efficiency (WUE), but one which drastically reduces CO, diffusion rate. The physical lintitation (stomatal lintitation, t) to CO, diffusion under various [0,] and temperatures, but constant PPFD, did not exhibit statistically significant change in t values at either 0 or 21% a, within each temperature regime, however there was a marked decrease in t as the plant approached its optimum photosynthetic temperature.
- Format
- 94 leaves
- Format
- Publisher
- Rhodes University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Science, Botany
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Mjwara, Jabulani Michael
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