Abstract
Effects of blue and red light on photorespiration in the leaf disks of pea were studied. The rate of total 14CO2 fixation was more or less higher under red light than blue light irradiation of the same quantum (94.8 $\mu$Em-2.S-1/mV). The release of 14CO2 by photorespiration was more stimulated under blue than red light. Among the photorespiratory intermediates, 14C was more incorporated ito serine under blue light than red light. However, 14C was more incorporated into glycine under red light than blue light. The incorporation of 14C into glycolate was very low under both light qualities, but higher under red light than blue light. Among the enzymes related to photorespiration, only glycolate oxidase was activated and/or synthesized by blue light irradiation. Moreover, more 14C2 was released from glycoate-1-14C under blue light than red light irradiation, but 14C2 release from glyoxylate-1-14C and glycine-1-14C showed no difference by the either light qualities. These results suggest that blue light is more effective in the photorespiratory CO2 evolution than red light. The reason is considered that glycolate is easily metabolized under blue light due to the stimulation of the glycolate oxidase activity.