Assessment of photosynthetic potential of indoor plants under cold stress

Abstract

Photosynthetic parameters including net photosynthetic rate (PN), transpiration rate (E), water-use efficiency (WUE), and stomatal conductance (gs) were studied in indoor C3 plants Philodendron domesticum (Pd), Dracaena fragans (Df), Peperomia obtussifolia (Po), Chlorophytum comosum (Cc), and in a CAM plant, Sansevieria trifasciata (St), exposed to various low temperatures (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C). All studied plants survived up to 0°C, but only St and Cc endured, while other plants wilted, when the temperature increased back to room temperature (25°C). The PN declined rapidly with the decrease of temperature in all studied plants. St showed the maximum PN of 11.9 μmol m−2 s−1 at 25°C followed by Cc, Po, Pd, and Df. E also followed a trend almost similar to that of PN. St showed minimum E (0.1 mmol m−2 s−1) as compared to other studied C3 plants at 25°C. The E decreased up to ≈4-fold at 5 and 0°C. Furthermore, a considerable decline in WUE was observed under cold stress in all C3 plants, while St showed maximum WUE. Similarly, the gs also declined gradually with the decrease in the temperature in all plants. Among C3 plants, Pd and Po showed the maximum gs of 0.07 mol m−2 s−1 at 25°C followed by Df and Cc. However, St showed the minimum gs that further decreased up to ∼4-fold at 0°C. In addition, the content of photosynthetic pigments [chlorophyll a, b, (a+b), and carotenoids] was varying in all studied plants at 0°C. Our findings clearly indicated the best photosynthetic potential of St compared to other studied plants. This species might be recommended for improving air quality in high-altitude closed environments.