Shade effect on photosynthesis and photoinhibition in olive during drought and rewatering

Adriano Sofo, Bartolomeo Dichio, Giuseppe Montanaro and Cristos Xiloyannis

Agricultural Water Management, 2009, vol. 96, issue 8, 1201-1206

Abstract: Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is commonly grown under environmental conditions characterised by water deficit, high temperatures and irradiance levels typical of Mediterranean semi-arid regions. Measurement of gas exchange, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence and photoinhibition was carried out on two-year-old olive trees (cv. 'Coratina') subjected to a 21-day period of water deficit followed by 23 days of rewatering. At the beginning of the experiment, plants were divided in to two groups and subjected to different light regimes: exposed plants (EP) under a mean photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at mid-day of 1800[mu]molm-2s-1 and shaded plants (SP) under a mean PAR of 1200[mu]molm-2s-1. The effect of drought and high irradiance levels caused a reduction of gas exchange and photosystem 2 (PSII) efficiency, in terms of quantum yield of PSII ([Phi]PSII) both in EP and SP. Shading conditions allowed plants to maintain a high photosynthetic activity at low values of stomatal conductance, whereas in EP the reductions in photosynthetic efficiency and intrinsic water efficiency were due to non-stomatal components of photosynthesis. The decrease in photosynthetic activity and the increase of photoinhibition under drought were more marked in EP than in SP. Full sunlight caused in EP a higher non-photochemical quenching, whereas SP showed a better photochemical efficiency. The information here obtained can be important to understand the mechanisms by which olive plants can minimize photoinhibition when subjected to simultaneous abiotic stresses.

Keywords: Drought; Light; excess; Olea; europaea; L.; Photoinhibition; Water; use; efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:96:y:2009:i:8:p:1201-1206

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