Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Sonalika) seedlings were grown in Hoagland solution. Primary leaves were harvested at 8, 12, and 15 d and cut into five equal segments. Contents of photosynthetic pigments and proteins, and photosystem 2 (PS2) activity increased from base to apex of these leaves. Chlorophyll (Chl) content was maximum at 12 d in all the leaf segments, but PS2 activity showed a gradual decline from 8 to 15 d in all leaf segments. In sharp contrast, the CO2 fixation ability of chloroplasts increased from 8 to 15 d. CO2 fixation ability of chloroplasts started to decline from base to apex of 15-d-old seedlings, where the content of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (RuBPCO-LSU) increased acropetally. RuBPCO-LSU content was maximum in all the leaf segments in 12-d-old seedlings. This shows a distinctive pattern of PS2, Chl, CO2 fixation ability of chloroplasts, and RuBPCO-LSU content along the axis of leaf lamina during development and senescence. RuBPCO-LSU (54 kDa) degraded to fragments of 45, 42, 37, 19, and 16 kDa products which accumulated along the leaf axis during ageing of chloroplasts. Thus the CO2 fixation ability of chloroplasts declines earlier than PS2 activity and photosynthetic pigment contents along the leaf lamina. and F. Dilnawaz ... [et al.].
Thermoluminescence (TL) in green plants arises from charge recombination of charged molecules in the reaction centre (RC) of photosystem 2 (PS2) in chloroplasts. The TL technique is used for detection of alterations in the architecture of PS2 RCs. The donor side 'S-states' and the acceptor side quinone molecules (QA and QB) are involved the charge recombination processes of PS2. High temperature (70-75 °C) glow peaks are also used to detect non-photosynthetic peroxidation processes in thylakoid membranes. The TL peaks with their characteristic charge recombination can be utilised for the study of chloroplast development, ageing, chemical, biotic, and abiotic stress induced alterations in the PS2 RC and for the study of the primary photochemical events of photosynthesis. The technique has been used successfully in the characterisation of transgenic plants in the study of genetically engineered organisms. and A. N. Misra ... [et al.].