Cold-Induced Sudden Reversible Lowering of in Vivo Chlorophyll Fluorescence after Saturating Light Pulses

Abstract

In chilling-sensitive plants (Glycine max, Saintpaulia ionantha, Saccharum officinarum) a sudden reversible drop in chlorophyll fluorescence occurs during photosynthetic induction immediately following saturating light pulses at low temperatures in the range 4 to 8 degrees C. A comparison of two soybean cultivars of different chilling sensitivities revealed that this phenomenon, termed lowwave, indicates specific thresholds of low temperature stress. Its occurrence under controlled chilling can be regarded as a quantitative marker for screening chilling susceptibility in angiosperms.