ISHS Acta Horticulturae 298: Hortifroid, V International Symposium on Postharvest Physiology of Ornamental Plants; Importance of Cold in Ornamental Horticulture
DETERMINATION OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL STATE OF POTTED PLANTS AND CUT FLOWERS BY MODULATED CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE |
| Authors: | O. Kooten, M. Mensink, E. Otma, W. Doorn |
| Keywords: | Codiaeum, Dieffenbachia, Ficus benjamina, Rosa hybrida cv "Sonia", transport response, drought response, efficiency of electron transport |
| Abstract:
Modulated chlorophyll fluorescence was used to determine the efficiency of linear electron flow in the photosynthetic membranes (thylakoids) in the leaves of potted plants (Ficus benjamina cv. "Exotica", Dieffenbachia picta cv. "Camilla" and Codiaeum variegatum cv. "Excellent") and of cut-roses (Rosa hybrida L. cv. "Sonia"). Plants were exposed to a sudden change in light intensity. The subsequent adaptation of the photosynthetic reactions to this change was monitored by pulse amplitude modulated chlorophyll fluorescence. For potted plants measurements were performed in the greenhouse, after transport and after a three week adaptation period. Electron transport efficiency recovered within 3 weeks, under simulated internal environment, after transportation, in Dieffenbachia and Codiaeum. The effect of transport was less severe in the case of Ficus benjamina, but this plant was unable to recover under the conditions of a simulated internal environment. In cut "Sonia" roses the duration of a drought period correlated with the diminution in electron transport efficiency, but subsequently recovered after placing them in water. The results indicate that measurement of the electron transport efficiency with modulated chlorophyll flourescence is a fast and non-invasive technique to determine the physiological status of plant tissue. | |
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