Regulation of energy partitioning and alternative electron transport pathways during cold acclimation of lodgepole pine is oxygen dependent

• Second year needles of Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta L.) were exposed for 6 weeks to either simulated control summer [summer; 25C/250 photon flux denisty (PFD)], autumn (autumn; 15C/250 PFD) or winter conditions (winter; 5C/250 PFD). We report that the proportion of linear electron transport utilized in carbon assimilation (ETRCO2) was 40 lower in both autumn and winter pine when compared with the summer pine. In contrast, the proportion of excess photosynthetic linear electron transport (ETRexcess) not used for carbon assimilation within the total ETRJf increased by 30 in both autumn and winter pine. In autumn pine acclimated to 15C, the increased amounts of excess electrons were directed equally to 21kPa O-2-dependent and 2kPa O-2-dependent alternative electron transport pathways and the fractions of excitation light energy utilized by PSII photochemistry ((PSII)), thermally dissipated through (NPQ) and dissipated by additional quenching mechanism(s) ((f,D)) were similar to those in summer pine. In contrast, in winter needles acclimated to 5C, 60 of photosynthetically generated excess electrons were utilized through the 2kPa O-2-dependent electron sink and only 15 by the photorespiratory (21kPa O-2) electron pathway. Needles exposed to winter conditions led to a 3-fold lower (PSII), only a marginal increase in (NPQ) and a 2-fold higher (f,D), which was O-2 dependent compared with the summer and autumn pine. Our results demonstrate that the employment of a variety of alternative pathways for utilization of photosynthetically generated electrons by Lodgepole pine depends on the acclimation temperature. Furthermore, dissipation of excess light energy through constitutive non-photochemical quenching mechanisms is O-2 dependent.

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