Adjustments in photosynthetic pigments, PS II photochemistry and photoprotection in a tropical C4 forage plant exposed to warming and elevated [CO2]

Global climate change will impact crops and grasslands, affecting growth and yield. However, is not clear how the combination of warming and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations ([CO2]) will affect the photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry and the photosynthetic tissue photoinhibition and photoprotection on tropical forages. Here, we evaluated the effects of elevated [CO2] (similar to 600 mu mol mol(-1)) and warming (+2 degrees C increase temperature) on the photochemistry of photosystem II and the photoprotection strategies of a tropical C4 forage Panicum maximum Jacq. grown in a Trop-T-FACE facility under well-watered conditions without nutrient limitation. Analysis of the maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (F-v/F-m), the effective PSII quantum yield Y(II), the quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation Y(NPQ), the quantum yield of nonregulated energy dissipation Y(NO), and the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in leaves revealed that the photosynthetic apparatus of plants did not suffer photoinhibitory damage, and plants did not increase lipid peroxidation in response to warming and [CO2] enrichment. Plants under warming treatment showed a 12% higher chlorophyll contents and a 58% decrease in a-tocopherol contents. In contrast, carotenoid composition (zeaxanthin and ss-carotene) and ascorbate levels were not altered by elevated [CO2] and warming. The elevated temperature increased both net photosynthesis rate and aboveground biomass but elevated [CO2] increased only net photosynthesis. Adjustments in chlorophyll, de-epoxidation state of the xanthophylls cycle, and tocopherol contents suggest leaves of P. maximum can acclimate to 2 degrees C warmer temperature and elevated [CO2] when plants are grown with enough water and nutrients during tropical autumn-winter season.

Automated summary

Global climate change impacts crops and grasslands, but the effects of warming and increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations on the photosynthetic process of tropical forages are not well understood. This study examines the effects of elevated CO2 and warming on the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II and photoprotection strategies of a tropical C4 forage Panicum maximum Jacq. The results show that the photosynthetic system of the plants did not suffer damage, and lipid peroxidation did not increase in response to warming and CO2 enrichment. The study also found that warming increased chlorophyll content and decreased α-tocopherol content.