Al3+ in combination with kinetin showed more protection against degradation of chlorophyll (Chl) and protein than Al3+ or kinetin alone during dark-induced senescence in wheat primary leaf segments. MV-dependent whole chain electron transport, photosystem (PS) 2 mediated oxygen evolution, and PS1 activities were also delayed to a greater extent. Absorbed excitation energy distribution was more in favour of PS1 in Al3+ plus kinetin-treated leaf thylakoids at 72 h. and D. Subhan, S. D. S. Murthy.
Photosynthetic electron transfer was studied in thylakoids isolated from control and DCMU-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings. When exposed to high temperature (HT) and high iradiance (HI), thylakoids showed large variations in the photosynthetic electron transport activities and thylakoid membrane proteins. A drastic reduction in the rate of whole electron transport chain (H2O → MV) was envisaged in control thylakoids when exposed to HT and HI. Such reduction was mainly due to the loss of photosystem 2, PS2 (H2O → DCBQ) activity. The thylakoids isolated from seedlings grown in the presence of DCMU showed greater resistance to HT and HI treatment. The artificial exogenous electron donors MnCl2, DPC, and NH2OH failed to restore the HI induced loss of PS2 activity in both control and DCMU thylakoids. In contrast, addition of DPC and NH2OH significantly restored the HT induced loss of PS2 activity in control thylakoids and partially in DCMU thylakoids. Similar results were obtained when Fv/Fm was evaluated by chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. The marked loss of PS2 activity in control thylakoids was evidently due to the loss of 33, 23, and 17 kDa extrinsic polypeptides and 28-25 kDa LHCP polypeptides. and K. Muthuchelian, M. Bertamini, N. Nedunchezhian.