TY - JOUR

T1 - Photosynthesis in the fleeting shadows

T2 - an overlooked opportunity for increasing crop productivity?

AU - Yu, Wang

AU - Burgess, Steven J.

AU - de Becker, Elsa M.

AU - Long, Stephen P.

PY - 2020/2/26

Y1 - 2020/2/26

N2 - Photosynthesis measurements are traditionally taken under steady‐state conditions; however, leaves in crop fields experience frequent fluctuations in light and take time to respond. This slow response reduces the efficiency of carbon assimilation. Transitions from low to high light require photosynthetic induction, including the activation of Rubisco and the opening of stomata, whereas transitions from high to low light require the relaxation of dissipative energy processes, collectively known as non‐photochemical quenching (NPQ). Previous attempts to assess the impact of these delays on net carbon assimilation have used simplified models of crop canopies, limiting the accuracy of predictions. Here, we use ray tracing to predict the spatial and temporal dynamics of lighting for a rendered mature Glycine max (soybean) canopy to review the relative importance of these delays on net cumulative assimilation over the course of both a sunny and a cloudy summer day. Combined limitations result in a 13% reduction in crop carbon assimilation on both sunny and cloudy days, with induction being more important on cloudy than on sunny days. Genetic variation in NPQ relaxation rates and photosynthetic induction in parental lines of a soybean nested association mapping (NAM) population was assessed. Short‐term NPQ relaxation (<30 min) showed little variation across the NAM lines, but substantial variation was found in the speeds of photosynthetic induction, attributable to Rubisco activation. Over the course of a sunny and an intermittently cloudy day these would translate to substantial differences in total crop carbon assimilation. These findings suggest an unexplored potential for breeding improved photosynthetic potential in our major crops.

AB - Photosynthesis measurements are traditionally taken under steady‐state conditions; however, leaves in crop fields experience frequent fluctuations in light and take time to respond. This slow response reduces the efficiency of carbon assimilation. Transitions from low to high light require photosynthetic induction, including the activation of Rubisco and the opening of stomata, whereas transitions from high to low light require the relaxation of dissipative energy processes, collectively known as non‐photochemical quenching (NPQ). Previous attempts to assess the impact of these delays on net carbon assimilation have used simplified models of crop canopies, limiting the accuracy of predictions. Here, we use ray tracing to predict the spatial and temporal dynamics of lighting for a rendered mature Glycine max (soybean) canopy to review the relative importance of these delays on net cumulative assimilation over the course of both a sunny and a cloudy summer day. Combined limitations result in a 13% reduction in crop carbon assimilation on both sunny and cloudy days, with induction being more important on cloudy than on sunny days. Genetic variation in NPQ relaxation rates and photosynthetic induction in parental lines of a soybean nested association mapping (NAM) population was assessed. Short‐term NPQ relaxation (<30 min) showed little variation across the NAM lines, but substantial variation was found in the speeds of photosynthetic induction, attributable to Rubisco activation. Over the course of a sunny and an intermittently cloudy day these would translate to substantial differences in total crop carbon assimilation. These findings suggest an unexplored potential for breeding improved photosynthetic potential in our major crops.

KW - photosynthetic induction

KW - non‐photochemical quenching

KW - NPQ

KW - food security

KW - soybean

KW - wheat

KW - photosystem II

KW - photoinhibition

KW - stomata

KW - crop breeding

KW - leaf canopy

KW - Rubisco activase

U2 - 10.1111/tpj.14663

DO - 10.1111/tpj.14663

M3 - Journal article

VL - 101

SP - 874

EP - 884

JO - The Plant Journal

JF - The Plant Journal

SN - 0960-7412

IS - 4

ER -