In cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) grown in controlled-environment growth chamber the effects of K deficiency during floral bud development on leaf photosynthesis, contents of chlorophyll (Chl) and nonstructural saccharides, leaf anatomy, chloroplast ultrastructure, and plant dry matter accumulation were studied. After cotton plants received 35-d K-free nutrient solution at the early square stage, net photosynthetic rate (PN) of the uppermost fully expanded main-stem leaves was only 23 % of the control plants receiving a full K supply. Decreased leaf PN of K-deficient cotton was mainly associated with dramatically low Chl content, poor chloroplast ultrastructure, and restricted saccharide translocation, rather than limited stomata conductance in K-deficient leaves. Accumulation of sucrose in leaves of K-deficient plants might be associated with reduced entry of sucrose into the transport pool or decreased phloem loading. K deficiency during squaring also dramatically reduced leaf area and dry matter accumulation, and affected assimilate partitioning among plant tissues. and Duli Zhao, D. M. Oosterhuis, C. W. Bednarz.
To quantify photosynthetic response of wheat to the combination of a fungal brown rust infection and a post-infection drought, four treatments were compared: no stress (control), fungal stress (FS), water stress (WS), and twofold stress (WS×FS). Predawn leaf water potential (Ψwp) was similar in FS and WS treatments over a 3-week period. In the WS treatment, net photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomata CO2 conductance (gs) diminished concomitantly with a constant intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) close to 200 µmol mol-1. In the FS treatment, a reduction of PN occurred with an increase in respiration rate (doubling of the CO2 compensation concentration) and in Ci but with no water loss modification. Healthy leaves of infected plants (FS) showed a reduction of PN as well, with constant gs and increased Ci. In the twofold stress treatment (WS×FS), leaves showed reduced PN in relation to the lower Ψwp. Deleterious effects of both drought and fungal infection on the final area of leaves and dry matter were additive. and O. Bethenod, L. Huber, H. Slimi.