Shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimations

Low solar irradiance reaching the canopy due to fog and heavy haze is a significant yield-limiting factor worldwide. However, how plants adapt to shade stress and the mechanisms underlying the reduction in leaf photosynthetic capacity and grain yield remain unclear. In this study (conducted during 2...

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Main Authors: Yong Li, Jiarong Zhao, Hongliang Ma, Lixia Pu, Jiarui Zhang, Xiulan Huang, Hongkun Yang, Gaoqiong Fan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1465925/full
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author Yong Li
Jiarong Zhao
Hongliang Ma
Lixia Pu
Jiarui Zhang
Xiulan Huang
Hongkun Yang
Hongkun Yang
Hongkun Yang
Gaoqiong Fan
Gaoqiong Fan
Gaoqiong Fan
author_facet Yong Li
Jiarong Zhao
Hongliang Ma
Lixia Pu
Jiarui Zhang
Xiulan Huang
Hongkun Yang
Hongkun Yang
Hongkun Yang
Gaoqiong Fan
Gaoqiong Fan
Gaoqiong Fan
author_sort Yong Li
collection DOAJ
description Low solar irradiance reaching the canopy due to fog and heavy haze is a significant yield-limiting factor worldwide. However, how plants adapt to shade stress and the mechanisms underlying the reduction in leaf photosynthetic capacity and grain yield remain unclear. In this study (conducted during 2018–2021), we investigated the impact of light deprivation (60%) at the pre-anthesis and post-anthesis stages on leaf carboxylation efficiency, source-to-sink relationships, sucrose metabolism, and grain yield of wheat cultivars with contrasting shade tolerance. Shade stress decreased stomatal conductance, stomatal limitation value, intrinsic water use efficiency, rubisco activity, and carboxylation efficiency of flag leaves during grain-filling, whereas intercellular CO2 concentration increased. These findings indicate that non-stomatal limitation reduces the net photosynthesis rate in a weak-light environment. Shade-tolerant cultivars (MM-51 and CM-39) adapted to low-light conditions via a higher leaf area of flag leaves, light interception rate, and chlorophyll a and b contents; this increased non-structural carbohydrates and sucrose contents in developing grains, ultimately decreasing yield loss by shade stress. Pre-anthesis shading resulted in a greater yield loss than post-anthesis shading because of decreased plant biomass, grain number per spike and 1,000-kernel weight. This study indicates that Rubisco-mediated non-stomatal limitation reduces PN and sucrose content in plants exposed to low-light stress, contributing to decreased grain yield. Our study provides information on the mechanism underlying shade stress tolerance, which will help design future strategies for reducing yield loss in the context of global dimming.
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spelling doaj-art-ab5fb2f2bcf642e49eaaadb0c845ed7b2024-12-05T04:26:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2024-12-011510.3389/fpls.2024.14659251465925Shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimationsYong Li0Jiarong Zhao1Hongliang Ma2Lixia Pu3Jiarui Zhang4Xiulan Huang5Hongkun Yang6Hongkun Yang7Hongkun Yang8Gaoqiong Fan9Gaoqiong Fan10Gaoqiong Fan11State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaCrop Eco-physiology and Cultivation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaCrop Eco-physiology and Cultivation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaCrop Eco-physiology and Cultivation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Eco-Physiology & Farming System in Southwest China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaCrop Eco-physiology and Cultivation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaCrop Eco-physiology and Cultivation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Eco-Physiology & Farming System in Southwest China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Ministry of Science and Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaCrop Eco-physiology and Cultivation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Eco-Physiology & Farming System in Southwest China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaLow solar irradiance reaching the canopy due to fog and heavy haze is a significant yield-limiting factor worldwide. However, how plants adapt to shade stress and the mechanisms underlying the reduction in leaf photosynthetic capacity and grain yield remain unclear. In this study (conducted during 2018–2021), we investigated the impact of light deprivation (60%) at the pre-anthesis and post-anthesis stages on leaf carboxylation efficiency, source-to-sink relationships, sucrose metabolism, and grain yield of wheat cultivars with contrasting shade tolerance. Shade stress decreased stomatal conductance, stomatal limitation value, intrinsic water use efficiency, rubisco activity, and carboxylation efficiency of flag leaves during grain-filling, whereas intercellular CO2 concentration increased. These findings indicate that non-stomatal limitation reduces the net photosynthesis rate in a weak-light environment. Shade-tolerant cultivars (MM-51 and CM-39) adapted to low-light conditions via a higher leaf area of flag leaves, light interception rate, and chlorophyll a and b contents; this increased non-structural carbohydrates and sucrose contents in developing grains, ultimately decreasing yield loss by shade stress. Pre-anthesis shading resulted in a greater yield loss than post-anthesis shading because of decreased plant biomass, grain number per spike and 1,000-kernel weight. This study indicates that Rubisco-mediated non-stomatal limitation reduces PN and sucrose content in plants exposed to low-light stress, contributing to decreased grain yield. Our study provides information on the mechanism underlying shade stress tolerance, which will help design future strategies for reducing yield loss in the context of global dimming.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1465925/fullshade stressshade toleranceleaf carboxylation efficiencysucrose metabolismgrain yield
spellingShingle Yong Li
Jiarong Zhao
Hongliang Ma
Lixia Pu
Jiarui Zhang
Xiulan Huang
Hongkun Yang
Hongkun Yang
Hongkun Yang
Gaoqiong Fan
Gaoqiong Fan
Gaoqiong Fan
Shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimations
Frontiers in Plant Science
shade stress
shade tolerance
leaf carboxylation efficiency
sucrose metabolism
grain yield
title Shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimations
title_full Shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimations
title_fullStr Shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimations
title_full_unstemmed Shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimations
title_short Shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimations
title_sort shade tolerance in wheat is related to photosynthetic limitation and morphological and physiological acclimations
topic shade stress
shade tolerance
leaf carboxylation efficiency
sucrose metabolism
grain yield
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1465925/full
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