Responses of Photosynthesis and Photosystem II to Higher Temperature and Salt Stress in Sorghum

Gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence transient were examined in leaves of sorghum under salt stress and high temperature. During salt treatment with 50 and 150 mm NaCl, photosynthetic rate (Pn) decreased, which could be ascribed to stomatal limitation. Salt stress had no effect on photosystem II (PSII) activity. At high temperatures, PSII function was inhibited in leaves of sorghum, indicated by the decrease in PSII performance index on absorption base and PSII maximal photochemistry efficiency (Fv/Fm); however, the decrease was lower in salt‐treated sorghum, suggesting that salt adaption enhanced heat tolerance of PSII. The enhanced heat resistance can be expressed on all the components of PSII including reaction centre, donor side and acceptor side. Consistently, a slight decrease in Pn was found in salt‐treated sorghum at high temperatures, indicating that salt adaption also enhanced heat tolerance of photosynthesis. Proline plays an important protective role in plant response to environmental stress, and its large accumulation in salt‐treated sorghum might be the underlying reason leading to the enhanced heat tolerance. As for this pattern of photosynthetic response, sorghum seems to be a reliable crop species for human beings in the face of global warming and increasing salinity of agricultural land.     

Sorghum can Compensate for Chilling-Induced Grain Loss

Chilling during male gametophyte development in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) inhibits development of microspores, causing male sterility. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of night chilling on yield components in sorghum. This study identified and employed collar distance as a morphological marker of anther development following chilling. Two cultivars Buster and Bonus, were subjected to three temperature regimes (25/20 °C, 25/12 °C and 25/8 °C) for five consecutive nights at 0 cm collar distance, which corresponds to the meiotic stage of anther development. Pollen viability, grain number and harvest index were reduced in both cultivars at 12 and 8 °C night temperatures. Total grain weight of cultivar Bonus was not reduced as much as Buster at 12 °C because of the ability of Bonus to increase individual grain weight when grain number was low. This work further elucidates the mechanism and genetic potential of chilling‐induced yield compensation for developing sorghum cultivars that are better adapted to low night temperatures.     

Photosynthetic and respiratory response of potato leaves of different ages during and after an episode of high temperature

Little is known about net photosynthetic rates (Pn) of potato during and after the end of a high-temperature episode. We investigated Pn of potato leaves exposed to a high-temperature episode. Plants were grown in the greenhouse at 22°C. Shortly after tuber initiation, plants were transferred to 30°C for 9 days and then returned to 22°C. High temperatures reduced Pn of older leaves but not of the youngest leaves. Effects were transitory; Pn of leaf 7 initially fell, but then increased to be higher than the control plants. High temperature increased respiration per unit area during the night and morning relative to the control plants. Leaves that emerged during the 30°C episode had higher Pn than the control plants when returned to 22°C. Results emphasise that it is not possible to use single-leaf measurements to infer effects on photosynthesis throughout the canopy. Similarly, the diurnal variation in effects on respiration means that Pn measurements made only at midday are inadequate. Finally, the dynamic response of Pn to the high temperature and the persistent effects after the end of the episode mean that the impact of high-temperature episodes cannot be extrapolated from experiments using constant temperature treatments.     

Gas Exchange of Five Warm‐Season Grain Legumes and their Susceptibility to Heat Stress

Objective of this study was to compare the heat stress performance of four pulses from dry and hot areas (mungbeans, limabeans, and teparybeans and cowpeas) with that of soybeans. Two experiments were conducted in growth chambers, and data were pooled because results of both experiments were similar. Plants were raised up to flowering at 24/17 °C (day/night) and were then either exposed to these temperatures until maturity or stressed with 33/24 °C for 2 weeks starting at day 1 or 15 after onset of flowering (early vs. late stress). Before, during and after these stress intervals, gas exchange of representative upper leaves was examined; additionally, immediate effects of increasing leaf temperatures from 24 to 32 or 40 °C on chlorophyll fluorescence were assessed. Without heat stress rates of photosynthesis (P_n), and of transpiration (TR), stomatal and mesophyll conductance (g_s, g_m) and intrinsic transpiration efficiency (iTE) differed significantly among the five crops at each date. However, because of crop‐specific time‐courses ranking among unstressed crops was instable with time, so values were integrated or averaged over time. This procedure revealed high P_n potentials in mung‐ and teparybeans and high iTE values in limabeans compared to the other crops. Heat stress lowered P_n and g_s considerably, but increased TR in all five crops. Relative lowering of P_n during heat stress displayed a crop‐specific pattern with limabeans being least susceptible to both early and late heat stress, while cowpeas were highly susceptible to early stress. Effects on P_n were mainly attributable to lowering of g_s and only in part to g_m. The latter was supported by very small changes (<10 %) of various chlorophyll fluorescence signals shortly after raising leaf temperature to 32 °C in all species. However, in limabeans, a decreased electron transport rate (e‐rate, ?18 %) and an increased non‐photochemical quenching (Q_N, +16 %) pointed to an adaptive mechanism to avoid oxidative strains under heat. Leaf temperatures of 40 °C immediately provoked stronger changes in all fluorescence signals than 32 °C; substantial damages at 40 °C were indicated by effective quantum yield, photochemical quenching and ratio of fluorescence decrease in mungbeans and low ones in cowpeas and soybeans. Nevertheless, some adaptive responses of e‐rates and Q_N were observed in all crops and were most expressed in limabeans.     

Hydrogen peroxide reduces heat‐induced yield losses in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) by protecting cellular membrane damage

We investigated the effect of various growth substances such as hydrogen peroxide, salicylic acid (SA), moringa leaf‐extract (MLE) and ascorbic acid (ASA) on leaf physiology and seed cotton yield (SCY) of heat‐stressed cotton. Cotton plants were exposed to elevated temperatures at three reproductive stages, either by staggering planting time in the field or by increasing growth cabinet temperatures (38/24°C and 45/30°C) in glasshouse. Elevated temperature at any reproductive phase significantly damaged cellular membrane and reduced SCY. Plants exposed to 38/24°C and 45/30°C in glasshouse produced 63% and 22% lower SCY, respectively, compared with plants under optimal temperature ((32/20°C). In response to high temperature, cotton plants up‐regulated activities of anti‐oxidative enzymes e.g. peroxidase and ascorbic acid. However, this defensive system could not protect cellular membrane of stressed plants from extreme temperature (38 and 45°C). In contrast, growth substances such as H2O2, ASA and MLE significantly increased anti‐oxidative enzymes activity to an extent, which reduced heat‐induced damage to cellular membrane. No significant effect of any regulator was observed on SCY under optimum temperatures; although H2O2, MLE and ASA significantly increased SCY of heat‐stressed cotton. Hydrogen peroxide increased SCY of April and May thermal regimes crops by 16% (averaged across both sowing dates) under field, while it caused 14% and 20% increase in SCY of plants exposed to sub (38/24°C) and supra optimal (45/30°C) thermal regimes under glasshouse. We concluded that growth regulators, specifically, H2O2 can protect cotton crops from heat‐induced cellular membrane damage by up‐regulating antioxidant defense system.     

高温胁迫对无柄小叶榕光合作用的影响

本研究以无柄小叶榕为材料,研究了不同天数高温处理对无柄小叶榕气体交换参数、叶绿素荧光参数和Rubisco活力的影响。结果表明,随着高温处理的持续,净光合速率（Pn）持续下降,而气孔导度（Gs）下降非常缓慢,蒸腾速率（Tr）则先开始快速上升随后保持稳定,但是胞间CO2浓度（Ci）却没有明显变化,说明高温处理引起无柄小叶榕Pn的下降不是由于气孔因素引起的。进一步研究发现,在高温胁迫下,开放PSII反应中心激发能捕获效率（Fv′/Fm′）、光化学猝灭（qP）、PSII实际量子产额（ФPSII）和电子传递速率（ETR）都持续下降。Rubisco初始活力下降速度则快于这些荧光参数的变化。非光化学猝灭（NPQ）则是先迅速上升后来略有下降。这些结果表明高温抑制无柄小叶榕的光合作用,首先是由于高温抑制了Rubisco活力,进而影响PSII活力和电子传递。     

Selection of pea genotypes with partial resistance to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</Emphasis> across a wide range of temperatures and periods of high relative humidity

Partial resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum based on stem lesion advancement was assessed for nine wild pea genotypes from five geographic origins and two cultivated genotypes, when peas were inoculated and incubated at all combinations of five temperatures (15.6, 18.3, 21.1, 23.9, 29.4°C) and four period(s) of high relative humidity (PHRH; 12, 24, 48, 72 h). PHRH of 12 and 24 h should not be used when screening plants for resistance to S. sclerotiorum regardless of the incubation temperature, since stem lesions are rarely (2.7%) visible at 12 h and there were no significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) in lesion lengths among and within genotypes at all temperatures assessed after 24 h. However, PHRH of 48 and 72 h are recommended for use to assess partial resistance since significant differences in stem lesion length among the genotypes were observed and characterized for these periods. Genotypes with cool (15.6 and 18.3°C) versus warm (23.9 and 29.4°C) temperature partial resistance to S. sclerotiorum were identified, and genotypes PI 240515 and PI 169603 appear to have the best cool and warm temperature partial resistance, respectively, among the genotypes assessed. A temperature of 21.1°C was the optimal temperature favouring lesion advancement for the majority of the genotypes evaluated. PI 169603 demonstrated the best partial resistance to S. sclerotiorum across the widest temperature and PHRH ranges and is recommended to plant breeders as the best single genotype to develop future cultivars with improved partial resistance to S. sclerotiorum based on stem lesion advancement.     

干旱胁迫对红叶石楠叶片光合生理特性的影响

对不同程度干旱胁迫下红叶石楠的叶片膜伤害和光合生理特性进行了研究。结果表明,随着干旱程度的增加,叶片含水量、光合色素含量以及净光合速率等生理指标都有不同程度的下降,而花青素含量、丙二醛含量和细胞膜透性大幅增加。在轻度干旱下,净光合速率、气孔导度和胞间CO2浓度同步下降,光合受抑的主要限制因子为气孔因素;中度、重度干旱胁迫下,净光合速率、气孔导度下降的同时,胞间CO2浓度上升,此时光合受抑的主要限制因子为非气孔因素     

Effects of Thermal and Salt Treatments during Imbibition on Germination and Seedling Growth of Sorghum at 42/19 °C

This investigation tested the influence of thermal treatment of seeds at various stages of imbibition on the germination percentage, speed and growth response of seeds and seedlings. Seeds of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L Moench) were treated in 2, 4 or 6 g NaCl l^?1 solutions and exposed for 2 h to 45 °C during the first, second or third days of imbibition. Thereafter, the seeds were dried and germinated at 42/19 °C (day/night temperature). Salt treatments did not improve the final germination percentage but increased germination speed over untreated seeds. The higher the salt concentration used, the greater the dry weights of plumules and radicles. Thermal treatment on the third day of imbibition yielded higher germination percentages than untreated seeds, while thermal treatment on the second day gave faster germination. Both the second and third day thermal treatments gave superior germination indices and higher plumule‐to‐radicle ratios. It is concluded that thermal treatment may assist in acclimating seeds to heat stress.     

水分胁迫对干热河谷乡土树种清香木的光合影响

为了研究水分胁迫对清香木光合特性的影响,根据土壤田间持水量设置不同的土壤水分含量梯度（W1~W6,土壤田间持水量分别为100%、80%、50%、30%、10%、5%）。以清香木为材料,利用Li-6400测量6个不同土壤水分含量梯度下清香木叶片的净光速率(Pn)、胞间CO₂浓度(Ci)、气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾速率(Tr)和水分利用率(WUE)。了解清香木对水分过多或过少胁迫的响应,旨在为云南干热河谷地区的植被恢复、清香木的培育种植提供一定的理论指导和技术参考。结果表明：（1）不同土壤水分含量梯度下清香木净光合速率Pn值显著差异,总体Pn呈现“降—升—降”的态势,日变化曲线呈“双峰”型,具明显的午休现象。Pn下降主要受到气孔限制和非气孔限制因素的影响。W1、W2受到气孔的限制,W3~W6受非气孔限制的因素影响,随着土壤含水量的下降,气孔限制向非气孔限制转变。（2）18:00以后,除了W3以外,其他Pn出现负值,呼吸作用大于光合作用,植物的光合生产力下降,植物死亡;W3则为水分适度的最佳选择,其田间持水量和土壤含水量分别在50%和33.6%左右。（3）气孔导度随着土壤含水量的减小而下降,土壤含水量在W3~W6时,气孔导度Gs日变化曲线无明显,基本呈现平缓状态。W1~W6的Gs值在8:00时最大,主要是空气湿度引起。（4）水分利用率WUE随着土壤含水量的下降而增加,适当的干旱胁迫有利于提高清香木光合生产力和水分利用率。     

Effect of high temperature on pollen morphology,plant growth and seed yield in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) has gained considerable attention worldwide during the past decade due to its nutritional and health benefits. However, its susceptibility to high temperatures has been reported as a serious obstacle to its global production. The objective of this study was to evaluate quinoa growth and pollen morphology in response to high temperatures. Pollen morphology and viability, plant growth and seed set, and several physiological parameters were measured at anthesis in two genotypes of quinoa subjected to day/night temperatures of 22/16°C as a control treatment and 40/24°C as the heat stress treatment. Our results showed that heat stress reduced the pollen viability between 30% and 70%. Although no visible morphological differences were observed on the surface of the pollen between the heat‐stressed and non‐heat‐stressed treatments, the pollen wall (intine and extine) thickness increased due to heat stress. High temperature did not affect seed yield, seed size and leaf greenness. On the other hand, high temperature improved the rate of photosynthesis. We found that quinoa has a high plasticity in response to high temperature, though pollen viability and pollen wall structure were affected by high temperatures in anthesis stage. This study is also the first report of quinoa pollen being trinucleate.     

低温胁迫下白菜型冬油菜差异蛋白质组学及光合特性分析

分离鉴定白菜型冬油菜低温差异表达蛋白质, 从蛋白质组角度揭示白菜型冬油菜抗寒机理奠定基础。以强抗寒白菜型冬油菜陇油7号为材料, 采用双向电泳和质谱分析技术, 比较低温(4°C、–4°C)和常温(25°C/20°C)下叶片蛋白质组差异;对差异蛋白进行KO和KEGG功能分析。结果表明,低温下陇油7号生长点下陷、植株匍匐, 气孔处于关闭或半关闭状态。2-DE和PDQuest8.0.1软件分析表明, 常温和4°C低温下叶片蛋白质斑点数分别726、738;相对于常温处理, 4°C低温下陇油7号叶片10个蛋白点特异表达、5个蛋白点未表达;MALDI-TOF-TOF MS质谱分析鉴定出11个蛋白质, 参与碳水化合物代谢、糖代谢、氨基酸代谢、有机酸代谢、核酸代谢、信号转导与细胞通讯等细胞过程。冰晶形态显微观察结果表明低温处理后陇油7号叶片蛋白质提取液中含有高活性抗冻蛋白(antifreeze proteins, AFPs)。鉴定的11个蛋白质中, 有5个蛋白质点与光合作用有关, 低温下陇油7号叶片1,5-二磷酸核酮糖羧化酶(RuBPCase)活性和净光合速率Pn下降。叶片Pn下降与RuBPCase表达抑制和活性降低有关, 非气孔限制是Pn下降的主要因素;高活性抗冻蛋白在白菜型冬油菜抗寒中发挥重要作用。     

低温胁迫对油棕幼苗光合作用及叶绿素荧光特性的影响

在30 μmol/(m2.s)的弱光条件下,以25℃、10℃、7℃、4℃、1℃各处理油棕幼苗3天,测定了油棕幼苗叶片光合参数及叶绿素荧光参数的变化。结果表明：温度由 25℃降至4℃,净光合速率（Pn）显著下降的同时,气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、胞间CO2浓度（Ci）也显著下降,但气孔限制值(Ls)和水分利用效率(WUE)却显著增加,说明光合作用的下降主要由气孔因素引起;之后随温度下降至1 ℃,净光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率、水分利用效率、气孔限制值均出现显著下降,但胞间CO2浓度却显著上升,说明光合作用的下降主要由非气孔因素引起。叶绿素荧光参数显示,随温度下降,初始荧光(Fo)不断上升,PSⅡ最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）、光化学猝灭系数(qP)、非光化学猝灭系数（qN）不断下降,其中以4 ℃以下的低温胁迫,这些参数的变化最为显著。表明严重低温对油棕幼苗产生了显著的光抑制,过剩的激发能不能通过热耗散途径散失,大量积累于PSⅡ反应中心,使光合机构遭受了较大程度的破坏,最终导致油棕幼苗光合能力的急剧降低。     

杂种小麦及亲本旗叶老化过程中CO2导度的研究

在旗叶一生中,气孔导度（ｇ２）进肉导度（ｇｍ）碳酸酐酶（ＣＡ）活性和净光合速率（Ｐｎ）的变化规律呈单峰曲线,于地片全展或全展后１０天达到是大值,供试ＣＨＡ,Ｔ型杂种小麦较亲本和对照在上述性状上表现的杂种优势随着叶片老化进程而逐渐增大,胞间ＣＯ２浓度（Ｃｉ）随着叶片老化进程不断增加,杂种小麦在该性状未表现优势,研究表明,ｇｍ,ＣＡ活性较ｇａ的Ｐａ的影响更大,旗叶老化期间光合作用的气孔限制小于非气孔限     

Impact of Humidity on Temperature-Induced Grain Sterility in Rice (Oryza sativa L)

High temperature‐induced grain sterility in rice is becoming a serious problem in tropical rice‐growing ecosystems. We studied the mechanism of high temperature‐induced grain sterility of different rice (Oryza sativa L) cultivars at two relative humidity (RH) levels. Four varieties of Indica and Japonica rice were exposed to over 85 % RH and 60 % RH at 36/30 °C, 34/30 °C, 32/24 °C and 30/24 °C day/night air temperatures from late booting to maturity inside sunlit phytotrons. Increasing both air temperature and RH significantly increased spikelet sterility while high temperature‐induced sterility decreased significantly with decreasing RH. Neither Indica nor Japonica rice types were superior to the other in the response of their spikelets to increased air temperature and RH. Increased spikelet sterility was due to increased pollen grain sterility which reduced deposition of viable pollen grains on stigma. Reduction in sterility with decreased RH was more due to decreased spikelet temperature than to air temperature. Thus the impact of RH should be considered when interpreting the effect of high temperature on grain sterility. Spikelet fertility was curvilinearly related to spikelet temperature. Grain sterility increased when spikelet temperature increased over 30 °C while it became completely sterile at 36 °C. The ability of a variety to decrease its spikelet temperature with decreasing RH could be considered as avoidance while the variability in spikelet sterility among varieties at a given spikelet temperature could be considered as true tolerance.     

Genetic Variation for Heat Tolerance During the Reproductive Phase in Brassica rapa

We investigated heat tolerance at the reproductive stage in six spring‐type B. rapa accessions and one B. juncea accession as a control. Plants were subjected to two temperature treatments for seven days in controlled environmental rooms, beginning one day before the first open flower on the main stem inflorescence. The high‐temperature treatment ranged from 25 °C to 35 °C during 16 h light and 25 °C during 8 h dark. The control temperature treatment was set at 23 °C during 16 h light and 15 °C during 8 h dark. Soil moisture was maintained at close to field capacity to avoid drought stress. Main stem buds that emerged during the treatment period were tagged, and pod and seed production was recorded at each reproductive node. Leaf temperature depression and leaf conductance increased in the high‐temperature treatment which indicated that plants were not drought stressed. A leafy vegetable type of B. rapa from Indonesia was the most tolerant to high temperature, as defined by its ability to set seed equally well in the control and high‐temperature treatments, followed by an oilseed type from Pakistan. Pollen viability remained above 87 % in all accessions and treatments. We conclude that bud number and length, and pod number produced under high temperatures, might provide a useful preliminary screen for high‐temperature tolerance and that B. rapa may be a valuable source of heat tolerance in canola (B. napus).     

外源镉胁迫对玉米幼苗光合特性的影响

研究了模拟光条件下,外源Cd胁迫对苗期玉米光合特性的影响。结果表明,Cd胁迫下导致玉米的最大光合速率和叶片蒸腾速率明显降低,光饱和点和表观量子产额有所下降。Cd胁迫下玉米叶片气孔导度减小,低光强时,Cd胁迫对气孔的限制起到较为重要的作用,而在高光强时Cd胁迫导致光合速率较低的原因为非气孔因素,吉甜6的气孔导度受Cd影响更大。Cd胁迫处理使暗适应的玉米叶片的初始荧光Fo升高;2个玉米品种的Fm,Fv,Fv/Fo和Fv/Fm均下降,表明Cd胁迫下PSII的潜在活性和原初光能转换效率减弱;Cd胁迫对吉甜6的光能转换效率和电子传递效率的影响更大。     

Differential heat sensitivity of two cool-season legumes,chickpea and lentil,at the reproductive stage,is associated with responses in pollen function,photosynthetic ability and oxidative damage

Increasing temperatures are adversely affecting various food crops, including legumes, and this issue requires attention. The growth of two cool-season food legumes, chickpea and lentil, is inhibited by high temperatures but their relative sensitivity to heat stress and the underlying reasons have not been investigated. Moreover, the high-temperature thresholds for these two legumes have not been well-characterised. In the present study, three chickpea (ICCVO7110, ICC5912 and ICCV92944) and two lentil (LL699 and LL931) genotypes, having nearly similar phenology with respect to flowering, were grown at 30/20°C (day/night; control) until the onset of flowering and subsequently exposed to varying high temperatures (35/25, 38/28, 40/30 and 42/32°C; day/night) in a controlled environment (growth chamber; 12 hr/12 hr; light intensity 750 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹; RH-70%) at 108 days after sowing for both the species. Phenology (podding, maturity) was accelerated in both the species; the days to podding declined more in lentil at 35/25 (2.8 days) and 38/28°C (11.3 days) than in chickpea (1.7 and 7.1 days, respectively). Heat stress decreased flowering–podding and podding–maturity intervals considerably in both the species. At higher temperatures, no podding was observed in lentil, while chickpea showed reduction of 14.9 and 16.1 days at 40/30 and 42/32°C, respectively. Maturity was accelerated on 15.3 and 12.5 days at 38/28°C, 33.6 and 34 days at 40/30°C and 45.6 and 47 days at 42/32°C, in chickpea and lentil, respectively. Consequently, biomass decreased considerably at 38/28°C in both the species to limit the yield-related traits. Lentil was significantly more sensitive to heat stress, with the damage—assessed as reduction in biomass, reproductive function-related traits (pollen viability, germination, pollen tube growth and stigma receptivity), leaf traits such as membrane injury, leaf water status, photochemical efficiency, chlorophyll concentration, carbon fixation and assimilation, and oxidative stress, appearing even at 35/25°C, compared with 38/28°C, in chickpea. The expression of enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and non-enzymatic antioxidants declined remarkably with heat stress, more so in lentil than in chickpea. Carbon fixation (assessed as Rubisco activity) and assimilation (assessed as sucrose concentration, sucrose synthase activity) were also reduced more in lentil than in chickpea, at all the stressful temperatures, resulting in more inhibition of plant biomass (shoot + roots), damage to reproductive function and severe reduction in pods and seeds. At 38/28°C, lentil showed 43% reduction in biomass, while it declined by 17.2% in chickpea at the same time, over the control temperature (30/20°C). At this temperature, lentil showed 53% and 46% reduction in pods and seed yield, compared to 13.4% and 22% decrease in chickpea at the same temperature. At 40/30°C, lentil did not produce any pods, while chickpea was able to produce few pods at this temperature. This study identified that lentil is considerably more sensitive to heat stress than chickpea, as a result of more damage to leaves (photosynthetic ability; oxidative injury) and reproductive components (pollen function, etc.) at 35/25°C and above, at controlled conditions.     

Impact of High Night‐Time and High Daytime Temperature Stress on Winter Wheat

High temperature is a major environmental factor that limits wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. Climate models predict greater increases in night‐time temperature than in daytime temperature. The objective of this research was to compare the effects of high daytime and high night‐time temperatures during anthesis on physiological (chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll concentration, leaf level photosynthesis, and membrane damage), biochemical (reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration and antioxidant capacity in leaves), growth and yield traits of wheat genotypes. Winter wheat genotypes (Ventnor and Karl 92) were grown at optimum temperatures (25/15 °C, maximum/minimum) until the onset of anthesis. Thereafter, plants were exposed to high night‐time (HN, 25/24 °C), high daytime (HD, 35/15 °C), high daytime and night‐time (HDN, 35/24 °C) or optimum temperatures for 7 days. Compared with optimum temperature, HN, HD and HDN increased ROS concentration and membrane damage and decreased antioxidant capacity, photochemical efficiency, leaf level photosynthesis, seed set, grain number and grain yield per spike. Impact of HN and HD was similar on all traits. Greater impact on seed set, grain number and grain yield per spike was observed at HDN compared with HN and HD. These results suggest that HN and HD during anthesis cause damage of a similar magnitude to winter wheat.     

Comparison of Starch Levels Reduced by High Temperature During Ripening in Japonica Rice Lines Near‐Isogenic for the Wx Locus

One problem caused by high temperature during ripening in Japonica rice cultivars is a reduction in the amount of starch in the endosperm. To better understand this deleterious effect, we compared the accumulation of the two components of starch, amylose and amylopectin in grains ripened at high (32/28 °C) and low (22/18 °C) day/night temperatures in a set of lines of Japonica cultivar Taichung 65 (T65Wx^b) that are near‐isogenic for the Wx locus, which encodes granule‐bound starch synthase I. In T65Wx^b ripened at high temperature, the amount of starch per grain decreased. However, amylose per grain significantly decreased while amylopectin per grain significantly increased. On the other hand, the amount of amylopectin in T65wx, the amylose‐free line, did not differ significantly at the high and low temperatures. These data indicated that high temperatures during ripening did not directly affect amylopectin accumulation in T65Wx^b and that the reduction in starch in T65Wx^b from the high temperatures was caused by a decrease only of amylose. The results for T65Wx^a and T65Wx^op were also consistent with this conclusion. As a result of the decrease in amylose, the outer region of starch granules from T65Wx^b ripened at the high temperatures also had less I₂KI staining. Because this fact might suggest that a portion of amylose was synthesized inside the developing granules after amylopectin synthesis in rice, the effect of amylose deposition in increasing of the density of starch granules is also discussed.