LOW-TEMPERATURE AND BRIGHT-LIGHT INDUCED PHOTOINHIBITION OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN KIWIFRUIT LEAVES

Light-limited (photon yield) and light-saturated photosynthesis (P_max) of kiwifruit leaves is inhibited when the leaves are exposed to bright light (photoinhibition), especially at low temperatures.
Exposures at 75% of full sun and at a temperature of 10 C results in a 90 and 50% loss in photon yield and P_max respectively while exposures at 30 C result in 10 and 15% losses.
Similarly, when kiwifruit leaves at 20 C are exposed to PFDs from 50 to 100% of full sun then the photon yield is photoinhibited by 18 to 60% and P_max by 20 to 40%. Although the growth conditions can affect the susceptibility to high light stress, up to 88% of photoinhibition of photon yield and 65% of P_max is directly attributable to the prevailing light and temperature combination that the leaves experience.
As low temperatures and bright light are common conditions in kiwifruit orchards, at least in spring and autumn, the carbon balance of this crop is likely to be reduced by low-temperature induced photoinhibition.

II International Symposium on Kiwifruit

D.H. Greer, W.A. Laing

Actinidia deliciosa, photon yield, photosynthetic efficiency, photosynthetic capacity, stress

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1992.297.42