Thirty genotypes from rice germplasm were identified under photooxidation and shading condition and divided into four basic types : (1) cultivars tolerant to both photooxidation and shading, (2) cultivars tolerant to photooxidation but sensitive to shading, (3) cultivars tolerant to shading but sensitive to photooxidation, and (4) cultivars sensitive to photooxidation and shading. A comparative study of photosynthetic characteristics of a cultivar (cv. Wuyujing 3) that is tolerant and a cultivar (cv. Xiangxian) that is sensitive to both photoinhibition and shading showed that the photochemical efficiency of PSⅡ ( F v/F m ) and the content of PSⅡ_D1 protein in the tolerant cultivar “Wuyujing 3” decreased less under photoinhibition conditions as compared with “Xiangxian”. Under photooxidation conditions, superoxide dismutase was induced rapidly to a higher level and the active oxygen O - built up to a lower level in “Wuyujing 3” than in “Xiangxian”. At the same time, the photosynthetic rate decreased by 23% in “Wuyujing 3” vs. 64% in “Xiangxian”. Shading (20% natural light) during the booting stage caused only small decreases (7%-13%) in RuBisCO activity and the photosynthetic rate in “Wuyujing 3” but showed marked decreases (57%-64%) in “Xiangxian” which corresponded to the decreases in grain yield in the two cultivars (38% and 73%, respectively). The correlation analysis showed that the tolerance to photooxidation is mainly related to PSⅡ_D1 and that to shading is mainly related to RuBisCO activity. This study provided a simple and effective screening method and physiological basis for crop breeding in enhancing tolerance to both high and low radiation.
Influence of high light stress on the photosynthesis of flag leaves of indica subspecies (cv. “Shanyou 63', sensitive to photoinhibition) and japonica subspecies (cv. “Wuyujing', resistant to photoinhibition) of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) was comparatively investigated. In both cultivars of rice, the excitation energy distribution between two photosystems was altered and the excitation energy transfer from light harvesting chlorophyll protein complexes to PSⅡ was inhibited by high light stress. These decreases were more pronounced in indica rice cultivar as compared to japonica one. The analysis of mild SDS_PAGE showed that in indica rice, high light stress almost disaggregated the trimer of light harvesting chlorophyll protein complexes of PSⅡ (LHC Ⅱ 1). The stress reduced the contents of internal antennae chlorophyll protein complexes of PSⅡ (CPa), light harvesting chlorophyll protein of PSⅠ (CPⅠa) and Chl a protein complex of PSⅠ reaction center (CPⅠ) as well as dimer of LHCⅡ (LHCⅡ 2) in indica rice. In japonica subspecies, however, high light stress depressed the contents of LHCⅡ 1, CPa and CPⅠa, but slightly impacted on CPⅠ content. Moreover, the increase in the contents of monomer of LHCⅡ by high light stress was found in both subspecies. In consistent with above results, analysis of polypeptide indicated that the amounts of 27 kD and 25 kD polypeptide of LHCⅡ in particular, as well as that of 21 kD polypeptide of CPⅠa were reduced by high light stress in both subspecies. It was found that, comparing with japonica rice, the stress pronouncedly diminished 43 kD and 47 kD proteins of CPa and 23 kD extrisic protein in indica rice.
