Abstract
Three tropical range grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Dichanthium annulatum, and Panicum antidotale) and two range legumes [Macroptilium atropurpureum (siratro) and Stylosanthes hamata (stylo)] were grown under four irradiances, i.e. 100 (I 100, control), 75 (I 75), 50 (I 50), and 25 (I 25) % of full sunlight. Accumulation of chlorophyll (Chl) b increased but that of Chl a decreased under low irradiances. The greater accumulation of Chl (a+b) in grasses (particularly in D. annulatum and P. antidotale) under shade predicted their shade adaptability. Among legumes Stylosanthes was more adaptive to the shade than Macroptilium due to its higher accumulation of Chl (a+b). Significant difference in the accumulation of carotenoids under I 25 over I 100 was observed in all the species, which shows the increase in quality of the fodder under limited irradiance. There was a significant decrease in soluble protein content in C. ciliaris under I 75, however, no significant difference in protein content was observed under I 50 and I 25, which was also reflected in the SDS pattern with the reduction in content of polypeptides at I 75 and following increase at I 50 and I 25. This was possibly due to reduction of light-induced protein at I 75 and then expression of the stress-induced protein at further reduction of irradiance. Peroxidase activity in C. ciliaris increased with the decrease in irradiance and its isozyme pattern showed differences among all treatments, which indicated the role of different peroxidase isoforms at different irradiances.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Anderson, J.M., Chow, W.S., Goodchild, D.J.: Thylakoid membrane organization in sun/shade acclimation. — Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 15: 11–26, 1988.
Anderson, J.M., Goodchild, D.J., Boardman, N.K.: Composition of the photosystems and chlorophyll structure in extreme shade plants. — Biochim. biophys. Acta 325: 573–585, 1973.
Anderson, J.M., Osmond, C.B.: Shade-sun responses: compromises between acclimation and photoinhibition. — In: Kyle, D.J., Osmond, C.B., Arntzen, C.J. (ed.): Photoinhibition. Pp. 1–38. Elsevier, Amsterdam — New York — Oxford 1987.
Armond, P.A., Arntzen, C.J.: Localization and characterization of photosystem II in grana and stroma lamellae. — Plant Physiol. 59: 398–404, 1977.
Atanasova, L., Stefanov, D., Yordanov, I., Kornova, K., Kavardzikov, L.: Comparative characteristics of growth and photosynthesis of sun and shade leaves from normal and pendulum walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees. — Photosynthetica 41: 289–292, 2003.
Baig, M.J., Bhat, R.K., Chatrath, A., Mandal, P.K.: Photosynthetic pigment and soluble protein accumulation in grass and legume under different light intensities. — Abstracts of National Symposium on Future of Physiological Research for the Improvement of Plant Resources. P. 2. Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu 1998.
Bassi, R., Pineau, B., Dainese, P., Marquardt, J.: Carotenoid-binding proteins of photosystem II. — Eur. J. Biochem. 212: 297–303, 1993.
Björkman, O.: Responses to different quantum flux densities. — In: Lange, O.L., Nobel, P.S., Osmond, C.B., Ziegler, H. (ed.): Physiological Plant Ecology I. Pp. 57–107. Springer-Verlag, Berlin — Heidelberg — New York 1981.
Boardman, N.K.: Comparative photosynthesis of sun and shade plants. — Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 28: 355–377, 1977.
Boardman, N.K., Björkman, O., Anderson, J.M., Goodchild, D.J., Thorne, S.W.: Photosynthetic adaptation of higher plants to light intensity: Relationship between chloroplast structure, composition of the photosystems and photosynthetic rates. — In: Avron, M. (ed.): Proceedings of the Third International Congress on Photosynthesis. Vol. III. Pp. 1809–1827. Elsevier, Amsterdam — Oxford — New York 1974.
Bond, B.J., Farnsworth, B.T., Coulombe, R.A., Winner, W.E.: Foliage physiology and biochemistry in response to light gradients in conifers with varying shade tolerance. — Oecologia 120: 183–192, 1999.
Burke, J.J., Steinback, K.E., Arntzen, C.J.: Analysis of light-harvesting pigment-protein complex of wild type and a chlorophyll-b-less mutant of barley. — Plant Physiol. 63: 237–243, 1979.
Chance, B., Machly, A.C.: Assay of catalase and peroxidases. — Methods Enzymol. 2: 764, 1955.
Davis, J.: Disc electrophoresis II. Methods and application of human serum protein. — Ann. New York Acad. Sci. 121: 404, 1964.
Falbel, T.G., Staehelin, L.A., Adams, W.W., III: Analysis of xanthophyll cycle carotenoids and chlorophyll fluorescence in light intensity-dependent chlorophyll-deficient mutants of wheat and barley. — Photosynth. Res. 42: 191–202, 1994.
Gracía-Plazaola, J.I., Becerril, J.M.: Photoprotection mechanisms in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L) seedlings from diverse climatic origins. — Trees 14: 339–343, 2000.
Guillot-Salomon, T., Tuquet, C., Lubac, M de, Hallais, M.-F., Signol, M.: Analyse comparative de l'ultrastructure et de la composition lipidique des chloroplasts de plantes d'ombre et de soleil. — Cytobiologie 17: 442–452, 1978.
Hansen, U., Fiedler, B., Rank, B.: Variation of pigment composition and antioxidative systems along the canopy light gradient in mixed beech/oak forest: a comparative study on deciduous tree species differing in shade tolerance. — Trees 16: 354–364, 2002.
Hiscox, J.D., Israelstam, G.F.: A method for the extraction of chlorophyll from leaf tissue without maceration. — Can. J. Bot. 57: 1332–1334, 1979.
Hong, C.K., Bang, S.B., Han, J.S., Hong, C.H., Bang, S.B., Han, J.S.: Effects of shading net on growth and yield of Aster scaber Thunb. and Ligularia fischeri Turcz. — RDA J. agr. Sci., Horticulture 38: 462–467, 1996.
Jensen, A.: Chlorophyll and carotenoids. — In: Hellbust, J.A., Craigie, J.S. (ed.): Handbook of Phycological Methods. Physiological and Biochemical Methods. Pp. 59–70. Cambridge University Press, London 1978.
Laemmli, U.K.: Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. — Nature 227: 680–685, 1970.
Lechowicz, W., Maternicka, K., Faltynowicz, M., Poskuta, J.: Effect of light intensity on pigments and main acyl lipids during “natural” chloroplast development in wheat seedlings. — Photosynth. Res. 8: 133–147, 1986.
Lee, A.I., Thornber, J.P.: Analysis of the pigment stoichiometry of pigment-protein complexes from barley (Hordeum vulgare). The xanthophyll cycle intermediates occur mainly in the light-harvesting complexes of photosystem I and photosystem II. — Plant Physiol. 107: 567–574, 1995.
Lee, S.P., Kim, S.K., Nam, M.S., Choi, B.S., Lee, S.C.: Effects of shading and organic matter applications on growth and aromatic constituents of Codonopsis lanceolata. — Korean J. Crop Sci. 41: 496–504, 1996.
Leong, T.-Y., Anderson, J.M.: Adaptation of the thylakoid membranes of pea chloroplasts to light intensities. II. Regulation of electron transport capacities, electron carriers, coupling factor (CF1) activity, and rates of photosynthesis. — Photosynth. Res. 5: 117–128, 1984.
Lichtenthaler, H.K.: Effect of biocides on the development of the photosynthetic apparatus of radish seedlings grown under strong and weak light conditions. — Z. Naturforsch. 34c: 936–940, 1979.
Lichtenthaler, H.K.: Adaptation of leaves and chloroplasts to high quanta fluence rates. — In: Akoyunoglou, G. (ed.): Photosynthesis. Vol. VI. Pp. 273–287. Balaban Int. Science Services, Philadelphia 1981.
Lichtenthaler, H.K., Babani, F., Langsdorf, G., Buschmann, C.: Measurement of differences in red chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic activity between sun and shade leaves by fluorescence imaging. — Photosynthetica 38: 521–529, 2000.
Lichtenthaler, H.K, Buschmann, C., Döll, M., Fietz, H.-J., Bach, T., Kozel, U., Meier, D., Rahmsdorf, U.: Photosynthetic activity, chloroplast ultrastructure, and leaf characteristics of high and low-light plants and of sun and shade leaves. — Photosynth. Res. 2: 115–141, 1981.
Logan, B.A., Demmig-Adams, B., Adams, W.W., III, Grace, S.C.: Antioxidants in Cucurbita pepo L. and Vinca major L. acclimated to four growth PPFDs in the field. — J. exp. Bot. 49: 1869–1879, 1998.
Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L., Randall, R.J.: Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. — J. biol. Chem. 193: 265–275, 1951.
Mika, V., Kohoutek, A., Beran, S.: Grass quality in shaded stands. — Rostlinná Výroba (Praha) 44: 431–436, 1998.
Nandal, D.P.S., Bisla, S.S.: Growing oats under trees for more and better fodder. — Agroforestry today 7(1): 12, 1995.
Palis, R.K., Bustrillos, A.R.: The effect of limited light on the carbohydrate and protein content of grain sorghum. — Philippine J. Crop Sci. 1: 161–166, 1976.
Park, M.S., Seo, S., Han, Y.C., Lee, J.K.: Studies on the grassland development in the forest. VIII. Effect of shading degree on the quality, digestibility and nitrate nitrogen concentration of main grasses. — J. Korean Soc. Grassland Sci. 8: 85–91, 1998.
Peter, G.F., Thornber, J.P.: Biochemical composition and organization of higher plant photosystem II light harvesting pigment-proteins. — J. biol. Chem. 236: 16745–16754, 1991.
Seemann, J.R., Sharkey, T.D., Wang, J.L., Osmond, C.B.: Environmental effects on photosynthesis, nitrogen use efficiency and metabolite pools in leaves of sun and shade plants. — Plant Physiol. 84: 796–802, 1987.
Singh, S.: Physiological response of different crop species to low light stress. — Indian J. Plant Physiol. 37: 147–151, 1994.
Stitt, M.: Limitation of photosynthesis by carbon metabolism I. Evidence for excess electron transport capacity in leaves carrying out photosynthesis in saturating light and CO2. — Plant Physiol. 81: 1115–1122, 1986.
Thayer, S.S., Björkman, O.: Leaf xanthophyll content and composition in sun and shade determined by HPLC. — Photosynth. Res. 23: 331–343, 1990.
Thayer, S.S., Björkman, O.: Carotenoid distribution and deep oxidation in thylakoid pigment-protein complexes from cotton leaves and bundle-sheath cells of maize. — Photosynth. Res. 33: 213–225, 1992.
Viji, M.M., Thangaraj, M., Jayapragasam, M.: Low irradiance stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.). — Biol. Plant. 39: 251–256, 1997.
Vyas, S.P., Kathju, S., Garg, B.K., Lahiri, A.N.: Response of clusterbean genotypes to shade. — Indian J. Plant Physiol. 1: 234–238, 1996.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baig, M.J., Anand, A., Mandal, P.K. et al. Irradiance influences contents of photosynthetic pigments and proteins in tropical grasses and legumes. Photosynthetica 43, 47–53 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-005-7053-5
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-005-7053-5