Effect of light intensity on the age dependence of nonphotochemical fluorescence quenching in wheat leaf

Abstract

The effects of actinic light (AL) intensity on the age dependence of nonphotochemical fluorescence quenching (qN) and effective quantum yield in PSII (ΦPSII) were studied in continuously illuminated wheat leaves of the upper tier. Regular changes were revealed in both age dependence of qN at elevated AL intensities and light curves of qN. These changes are related to alterations in strategies of redistribution and use of absorbed light energy by the photosynthetic apparatus at different stages of wheat leaf development. Unlike ΦPSII, qN as a parameter was more sensitive to the differences in the leaf age at a certain range of light intensities. At the same time, the stability of qN at moderate light intensities may serve as an indication of leaf maturity.