• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 1996

For three cultivars of chilling-sensitive cucumber plants, chilling sensitivity was evaluated in terms of photosynthetic activity using Chl fluorescence techniques. Low-temperature treatment caused a decrease in photosynthetic activities of cucumber leaves, measured as CO$_2$ exchange, as well as the decrease in the stomatal conductance. FR of the three cultivars decreased after chilling for 24 h in light and the extent of decline of F$_R$ was the greatest in 'Chosaeng' cultivar. When these plants were recovered from light-chilling, 'Chosaeng' and 'Samchuk' cultivars did not fully restore the original value of F$_R$ after 24 h of recovery, in contrast to 'Ilmi' cultivar which showed a rather efficient recovery. The results of FR study showed that 'Chosaeng' was most susceptible, whereas Ilmi was most resistant, to chilling among the three cultivars of cucumber plants. When quenching coefficients for chlorophyll fluorescence was analyzed after chilling the cucumber plants for 24 h in light, 'Chosaeng' elicited more rapid declines in the coefficients for photochemical quenching (qQ), non-photochemical quenching (qNP) and energy-dependent quenching (qE) than 'Ilmi' and 'Samchuk'. The implications of these observations are discussed in relation to the growth habits of the respective cultivars in the field. The results showed that measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence was an effective means of screening chilling tolerance of cucumber plants. Furthermore, the study on the chlorophyll fluorescence induction and fluorescence quenching charactersitics showed that low temperature could accelerate inhibition of photosynthesis in chilling-sensitive plants, by limiting Calvin cycle activity and disrupting, in part, the energy dissipation mechanims of the photosystem II.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.845-853
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to predict the timing of nitrogen (N) demand through analyzing chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF), soil-plant analysis development (SPAD), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which are positively correlated with foliar N concentration in star cluster (Pentas lanceolata). The plants were grown in potting soil under optimal conditions for 30 d, followed by weekly irrigation with five concentrations (0, 4, 8, 16, and 24 mM) of N for an additional 30 d. These five N application levels corresponded to leaf N concentrations of 2.62, 3.48, 4.00, 4.23, and 4.69%, respectively. We measured 13 morphological and physiological parameters, as well as the responses of these parameters to various N-fertilizer treatments. The general increases in Dickson's quality index (DQI), above-ground dry weight (DW), total DW, flowering rate, ${\Delta}F/Fm$', and qP in response to treatment with 0 to 8 mM N were similar to those of SPAD, NDVI, and Fv/Fm. Consistent and strong correlations ($R^2$= 0.60 to 0.85) were observed between leaf N concentration (%) and SPAD, NDVI, ${\Delta}F/Fm$', and above-ground DW. Validation of leaf S PAD, NDVI, and ${\Delta}F/Fm$' revealed that these vegetation indices are accurate predictors of leaf N concentration that can be used for non-destructive estimation of the proper timing for N-solution irrigation of P. lanceolata. Moreover, irrigation with 8 mM N-fertilizer i s recommended w hen leaf N concentration, SPAD, NVDI, and ${\Delta}F/Fm$' ratios are reduced from their saturation values of 4.00, 50.68, 0.64, and 0.137%, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 1997

The mechanism of stomatal closing in response to $O_2$ was indirectly investigated by using $H_2O_2$ which is the intermediate product of $O_2$ metabolites. Stomata in epidermal strips close in response to $H_2O_2$. The effect of $H_2O_2$ on stomatal closing was dependent on the concentration of $H_2O_2$. 10 ppm $H_2O_2$ showed a clear effect on stomatal closing and 1000 ppm $H_2O_2$ induced complete stomatal closing after the treatment of 3 hours. Stomatal closing by $H_2O_2$ in intact leaf was also observed by measuring the diffusion resistance with porometer. It was found that the stomatal closing by $H_2O_2$ was not mediated by $Ca^{2+}$, and that was a different result observed in stomatal closing by water stress. Reversely, $Ca^{2+}$ showed a great inhibition on stomatal closing. The leakage of K+ in epidermal strips was doubled in response to $H_2O_2$ when it was campared to the control. 10 ppm $H_2O_2$ decreased photosynthetic activity. Fv/Fm representing the activity of Photosystem II was reduced about 4 % in 10 ppm $H_2O_2$ and 8 % in 100 ppm $H_2O_2$ In the treatment of 1.5 hour. However, stomatal closing by 10 ppm $H_2O_2$ was reduced about 56 %. According1y, it can be suggested that stomatal closing by $H_2O_2$ is related with the decrease of photosynthetic activity, but it was chiefly induced by the change of the membrane permeability. Key words Commelina communis, stomatal closing, $H_2O_2$, $Ca^{2+}$, photosynthesis.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.255-265
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• 2013

This study was conducted to determine the extent of drought resistance based on physiological responses of Calystegia soldanella under water deficit. In order to investigate the changes of plant growth, stomatal density, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, the contents of chlorophyll and carotenoid, osmolality, total ion contents, the contents of carbohydrate and proline, C. soldanella was grown under well watered and drought stressed conditions for 12 days. In this study, water-deficit resulted in remarkable growth inhibition of C. soldanella. The effect of water-deficit on plant growth was associated with low osmotic potential of soil. On day 12 after drought treatment, dry weight, relative water contents, number and area of leaves and stem length were lower than those of control. The stomatal conductance and net photosynthetic rate were significantly reduced in water stressed plant to regulate inner water contents and $CO_2$ exchange through the stomatal pore. Chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll contents were not different in comparison with the control, indicating that the efficiency of photosystem II was not affected by drought stress. This results could be explained that water-deficit in C. soldanella limits the photosynthetic rate and reduces the plant's ability to convert energy to biomass. A significant increase in total ion contents and osmolality was observed on day 7 and day 12. Accumulation of proline in leaves is associated with the osmotic adjustment in C. soldanella to soil water-deficit. Consequently, this increase in osmolality in water stressed plant can be a result in the increase of ion contents and proline.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2008

Ionizing radiation causes many alterations in photosynthetic machineries. However, there is no information about effects of ionizing radiation on the development of photosynthetic machineries in plants. We investigated the greening of etiolated mung bean seedlings after gamma-irradiation of 50 to 300 Gy. The irradiation inhibited seedling growth with great dependence on the radiation dose. In particular, growth of stems was more affected than that of hypocotyls. Irradiated leaves showed inhibition in growth, aberration in morphology, and yellowing in color depending on the radiation dose. Contents of photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenoids were significantly decreased in the irradiated leaves. The apparent electron transport rate for photosynthesis, ETR, was similarly changed depending on the radiation dose. However, the maximal photochemical efficiency of Photosystem II (PSII), Fv/Fm, was little affected by the irradiation. Moreover, the 50-Gy seedlings maintained the control level of light saturating for photosynthesis and showed slightly higher Fv/Fm values in spite of significant decreases in the photosynthetic pigment content and ETR. These results suggest that the inhibition of the overall photosynthetic capacity couldn’t be causally relatqaed with the repression in the initial development of irradiated seedlings and that the overall photosynthetic machineries can develop and work to some extent as a concerted system for photosynthesis even after exposure to acute doses of ionizing radiation.

• ALGAE
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2005

The modern integrated fish-seaweed mariculture has been tested to reduce the environmental impacts of an intensive fed culture. To obtain the best seaweed bioremediation performance, the effects of therapeutants used for fish disease control on the selected seaweed species should be considered. As a selected seaweed, Porphyra yezoensis was tested with six commercial antibiotics including erythromycin thiocyanate_A, erythromycin thiocyanate_B, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, pefloxacin, and amoxicillin trihydrate under the batch incubation at a photon flux density of 10 $\mu$mol ${\cdot}m^{-2}\;{\cdot}\;s^{-1}$ at 15$^{\circ}C$. Among the tested commercial antibiotics, erythromycin thiocyanate_A, erythromycin thiocyanate_B, oxytetracycline, and doxycycline showed decreases in Fv/Fm, the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, with a dose-dependant and time-dependant manner. From the quenching analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence, three differential patterns were observed in the antibiotics-treated Porphyra: (1) high nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) and low photochemical quenching (qP) in the cases of Erythromycin thiocyanate_B and amoxicillin trihydrate, (2) high NPQ and high qP in the case of pefloxacin and (3) low NPQ and low qP in the case of oxytetracycline. These results indicated that antibiotics affected in various ways on the photosynthetic apparatus, reflecting differential lesion sites of antibiotics. In addition, the rates of ammonium uptake also decreased with a decrease of Fv/Fm in P. yezoensis thalli treated with erythromycin thiocyanate_B and oxytetracycline. Therefore, the four antibiotics mentioned could affect the bioremediation capacity of the selected seaweed species in the integrated fish-seaweed mariculture system due to the decrease of photosynthetic activity and the simultaneous decrease of ammonium uptake.

• ALGAE
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2012

Germanium dioxide ($GeO_2$) has been used for many years in the cultivation of red and green algae as a means of controlling the growth of diatoms. Brown algae are sensitive to $GeO_2$, however, the basis of this sensitivity has not been characterized. Here we use embryos of $Fucus$ $vesiculosus$ to investigate morphological and physiological impacts of $GeO_2$ toxicity. Morphometric features of embryos were measured microscopically, and physiological features were determined using pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry. At 5 mg $L^{-1}$ $GeO_2$, embryos grew slower than controls and developed growth abnormalities. After 24 h, initial zygote divisions were often oblique rather than transverse. Rhizoids had inflated tips in $GeO_2$ and were less branched, and apical hairs were deformed, with irregularly aligned, spheroidal cells. Minimum fluorescence ($F_0$) showed minor differences over the 10 days experiment, and pigment levels (chlorophylls $a$, $c$ and total carotenoids) showed no difference after 10 days. Optimum quantum yield increased from ca. 0.52 at 24 h to 0.67 at 5 days, and $GeO_2$-treated embryos had higher mean values (significant at 3 and 5 days). Optimum quantum yield of photosystem II (${\Phi}_{PSII}$) was stable in control thalli after 5 days, but declined significantly in $GeO_2$. Addition of silica (as $SiO_2$) did not reverse the effects of $GeO_2$. These results suggest that $GeO_2$ toxicity in brown algae is associated with negative impacts at the cytological level rather than metabolic impacts associated with photosynthesis.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1143-1153
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• 2016

Plant biomass, photosystem II (PSII) photochemical activity, photosynthetic function, and zinc (Zn) accumulation were investigated in a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid (Sorghum bicolor ${\times}$ S. sudanense) exposed to various Zn concentrations to determine the elimination capacity of Zn from soils. Plant growth and biomass of the sorghum-sudangrass hybrid decreased with increasing Zn concentration. Symptoms of Zn toxicity, i.e., withering and discoloration of old leaves, were found at Zn concentrations over 800 ppm. PSII photochemical activity, as indicated by the values of $F_v/F_m$ and $F_v/F_o$, decreased significantly three days after exposure to Zn concentrations of 800 ppm or more. Photosynthetic $CO_2$ fixation rate (A) was high between Zn concentrations of 100-200 ppm ($22.5{\mu}mol$ $CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$), but it declined as Zn concentration increased. At Zn concentrations of 800 and 1600 ppm, A was 14.1 and $1.8{\mu}mol$ $CO_2{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$, respectively. The patterns of stomatal conductance ($g_s$), transpiration rate (E), and water use efficiency (WUE) were all similar to that of photosynthetic $CO_2$ fixation rate, except for dark respiration ($R_d$), which showed an opposite pattern. Zn was accumulated in both above- and below-ground parts of plants, but was more in the below-ground parts. Magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe) concentrations were significantly low in the leaves of plants, and symptoms of Mg or Fe deficiency, such as a decrease in the SPAD value, were found when plants were treated with Zn concentrations above 800 ppm. These results suggest that the sorghum-sudangrass hybrid is able to accumulate Zn to high level in plant body and eliminate it with its rapid growth and high biomass yield.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.169-174
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• 1998

Photosynthetic responses to dehydration were examined by the simulataneous measurement of O2 evolution and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence in green pepper leaves. Dehydration was induced by immersing the plant roots directly in the Hoagland solution containing varying concentration (2-30%) of polyethylene glycol(PEG-6000) . Water potential of the leaf was decreased time-and concentation -dependently by PEG-treatment. The decrease in water potential of leaf was correlated with the decrease in both the maximal photosynthesis (Pmax) and quantum yield of O2 evolution, but Pmax dropped more rapidly than quantum yield at all water deficit conditions tested. However, Chl fluorescence parameters were not affected much. Dehydration did not change the initial fluorescence (Fo) and maximum photochemical efficiency(Fv/Fm) of photosystem(PS) II. Both the photochemical quenching (qP) and non-photochemical quenching(NPQ) were not changed by dehydration under low PFR(50 $\mu$mols m-2s-1 ). In contrast, under high PFR(270$\mu$mols m-2s-1)qP was slightly decreased while NPQ was greatly increased. The fast induction kinetics of Chl fluroecence showed no change in Chl fluorescence pattern by dehydration at high PFR (640 $\mu$mols m-2s-1 ), but exhibited a significant drop in peak level(Fp)at low PRFR (70$\mu$mols m-2s-1 ). PS I oxidation and reduction kinetics revealed normal reduction but delayed oxidation to P-700+, suggesting no lesionin electron flow from PSII to PSI , but impaired electron transport to NADP+,These results suggest that water stress caused by PEG-treatment results in the reduction of photosynthesis, promarily due to the reducted electron trasport from PSI to NADP+ or hampered subsequent steps involving Calvin Cycle.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.21-24
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• 2012

Influence of gamma rays on the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 cells was investigated in terms of a bidirectional hydrogenase, which is encoded by hoxEFUYH genes and responsible for biohydrogen production. Irradiated cells revealed a substantial change in stoichiometry of photosystems at one day after gamma irradiation at different doses. However, as evaluated by the maximal rate of photosynthetic oxygen evolution, maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, and chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis or photosynthetic capacity was not significantly different between the control and irradiated cells. Instead, transcription of hoxE, hoxH, or lexA, which encodes a subunit of bidirectional hydrogenase or the only transcriptional activator, LexA, for hox genes, was commonly enhanced in the irradiated cells. This transcriptional enhancement was more conspicuously observed immediately after gamma irradiation. In contrast, hydrogenase activities were found to somewhat lower in the irradiated cells. Therefore, we propose that transcription of hox genes should be enhanced by gamma irradiation in a LexA-mediated and possibly photosynthesis-independent manner and that this enhancement might not induce a subsequent increase in hydrogenase activities, probably due to the presence of post-transcriptional and/or post-translational regulatory mechanisms.