Photosynthetic Parameters Show Specific Responses to Essential Mineral Deficiencies

Miho Ohnishi; Riu Furutani; Takayuki Sohtome; Takeshi Suzuki; Shinya Wada; Soma Tanaka; Kentaro Ifuku; Daisei Ueno; Chikahiro Miyake

doi:10.3390/antiox10070996

Photosynthetic Parameters Show Specific Responses to Essential Mineral Deficiencies

Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Jun 23;10(7):996. doi: 10.3390/antiox10070996.

Authors

Miho Ohnishi^{1

2}, Riu Furutani^{1

2}, Takayuki Sohtome^{2

3}, Takeshi Suzuki^{1

2}, Shinya Wada^{1

2}, Soma Tanaka¹, Kentaro Ifuku⁴, Daisei Ueno⁵, Chikahiro Miyake^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Applied Biological Science, Graduate School for Agricultural Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.
² Core Research for Environmental Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 7 Gobancho, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan.
³ Department of System Development, Bunkoukeiki Co. Ltd., 4-8 Takakura-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 192-0033, Japan.
⁴ Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
⁵ Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Science, Kochi University, 200 Otsu, Monobe, Nankoku 783-8502, Japan.

Abstract

In response to decreases in the assimilation efficiency of CO₂, plants oxidize the reaction center chlorophyll (P700) of photosystem I (PSI) to suppress reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In hydro-cultured sunflower leaves experiencing essential mineral deficiencies, we analyzed the following parameters that characterize PSI and PSII: (1) the reduction-oxidation states of P700 [Y(I), Y(NA), and Y(ND)]; (2) the relative electron flux in PSII [Y(II)]; (3) the reduction state of the primary electron acceptor in PSII, Q_A (1 - qL); and (4) the non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence (NPQ). Deficiency treatments for the minerals N, P, Mn, Mg, S, and Zn decreased Y(II) with an increase in the oxidized P700 [Y(ND)], while deficiencies for the minerals K, Fe, Ca, B, and Mo decreased Y(II) without an increase in Y(ND). During the induction of photosynthesis, the above parameters showed specific responses to each mineral. That is, we could diagnose the mineral deficiency and identify which mineral affected the photosynthesis parameters.

Keywords: P700; P700 oxidation system; photosynthesis; photosystem I (PSI); plant nutrition; reactive oxygen species (ROS).