This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Everson, G. Articles by Black, C. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Everson, G. Articles by Black, C. C., Jr. Agricola Articles by Everson, G. Articles by Black, C. C.

Articles

Diurnal Variations in Leaf Fluorescence Induction Kinetics

Variable Fluorescence in Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plants ¹

Department of Biochemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602

The variable fluorescence of leaves from Kalanchoë daigremontiana and pineapple, Ananas comosus, both CAM plants, was found to change over a 24-hour cycle and to exhibit high temperature-dependent maxima during the night period. The time course of the induced fluorescence was correlated with malic acid accumulation but not with other aspects of CAM such as with the nature of the decarboxylation pathway or with stomatal movements. The variable fluorescences of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) leaves were compared with the CAM plants diurnally; both plants also exhibit high fluorescence maxima during the night period. We conclude that the assembly of the photosystems in the light is a primary process in photosynthesis induction and may be influenced by other cellular metabolic processes, specifically in the case of CAM leaves by malic acid accumulation.

³ Permanent address: Agronomy Department, South China Agricultural College, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China. Recipient of a study stipend from the Chinese Education Ministry.

¹ Supported in part by the National Science Foundation through Grant PCM 8023949 to C. C. B.