Effects of water stress on photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence of five potato cultivars

Summary Reduction of leaf photosynthesis due to water stress has been analyzed into various components and genetic variation in these components has been evaluated. Five potato cultivars were grown on nutrient solution in a conditioned glasshouse. Water stress was imposed by adding polyethylene glycol to the nutrient solution. Photosynthesis, transpiration and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured on intact leaves during the stress period and after recovery from the stress. Water stress reduced photosynthesis, initially as a consequence of stomatal closure, but after 3 days increasingly by inhibiting directly the photosynthetic capacity (mesophyll limitation). Stomatal closure correlated with the reduction in photosynthesis, but it was not the sole cause of this reduction because the internal CO₂ concentration in the leaves was not affected by water stress, indicative of inhibitory factors other than stomatal ones. Chlorophyll fluorescence emission suggested that the Calvin cycle was inhibited, while quantum efficiency was not affected at 17°C. Increasing the temperature to 27°C reduced quantum efficiency but only in the stress environment. The recovery of young leaves after relief of the stress was associated with a lower stomatal conductance but a higher mesophyll conductance compared with the control, which caused a low internal CO₂ concentration and probably invoked photo-inhibition and leaf damage. Cultivar differences in photosynthetic rate were highly significant under both optimal and stress conditions, and corresponded with differences in mesophyll conductance.