Leaf gas exchange and fluorescence of two teosinte species: <i>Zea mays </i> ssp. <i>parviglumis</i> and <i>Z. diploperennis</i>

Leaf gas exchange and fluorescence of two teosinte species: <i>Zea mays </i> ssp. <i>parviglumis</i> and <i>Z. diploperennis</i>

Authors

  • M.A. Sobrado Laboratorio de Biología Ambiental de Plantas, Departamento de Biología de Organismos, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Apartado 89.000, Caracas 1080, Venezuela

Keywords:

chlorophylls, down regulation, photosynthesis, wild maize

Abstract

This study compared the leaf blade characteristics, pigment composition, photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry, and photosynthetic rates (P) of a multi-stemmed annual (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis Iltis & Doebley) and a perennial (Z. diploperennis Iltis, Doebley & Guzman) teosinte species growing in a glasshouse under analogous nutritional and environmental conditions. Similar chlorophyll contents and ratios implied comparable efficiencies of photon energy capture and electron flow through PSII in both species. Maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) was about 0.75 at predawn and declined linearly to a minimum at midday of about 0.65, implying down-regulation of photosynthesis. By contrast, maximum P (Pmax) was 11.5% higher in the annual compared to the perennial teosinte, signifying that wild maize germplasm could potentially be used for improving the photosynthetic efficiency of cultivated maize. Future studies, however, should assess a larger number of teosinte species for their differences in leaf area per plant, growth habit, grain yield, and leaf photosynthesis.

Author Biography

M.A. Sobrado, Laboratorio de Biología Ambiental de Plantas, Departamento de Biología de Organismos, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Apartado 89.000, Caracas 1080, Venezuela

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Published

09-11-2011

How to Cite

Sobrado, M. (2011). Leaf gas exchange and fluorescence of two teosinte species: <i>Zea mays </i> ssp. <i>parviglumis</i> and <i>Z. diploperennis</i>. Journal of Tropical Agriculture, 49, 91–94. Retrieved from https://jtropag.kau.in/index.php/ojs2/article/view/243

Issue

Section

Short communications

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