Photoinhibition and photosynthetic acclimation of rice ( Oryza sativa L. cv Jyothi) plants grown under different light intensities and photoinhibited under field conditions

photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/F m) and an increase in non-photochemical quenching (qN). The decline in Fv/F m was much greater in transferred greenhouse plants (33%) as compared to transferred shade-plants (20%). Sun-plants did not show much variation in the Fv/F m ratio (4%) from their predawn measurements (control). The sun-grown plants showed a higher pool of xanthophyll pigments (violaxanthin + antheraxanthin + zeaxanthin). Transfer of greenhouse and shade-plants to full sunlight resulted in an increase in lutein, Chl a/b ratio, antheraxanthin (A) and zeaxanthin (Z) content. Increase in A and Z was correlated with the increase in the qN. The increase in the A and Z content was due to increase in the activity of violaxanthin de-epoxidase. Greenhouse and shade plants on exposure to sunlight showed an increase in lipid peroxidation (LPO). Prolonged exposure of greenhouse and shade plants up to 7 days resulted in recovery of the Fv/F m, an increase in Z and A and a decline in the LPO. The study demonstrated that rice plants grown at lower light intensities initially underwent photoinhibitory damage on exposure to full sunlight, but were able to acclimate to the high irradiance by dissipating the excess light through various mechanisms such as an increase in lutein, high Chl a/b ratio and xanthophyll cycle, suggesting use of energy dissipation as a mechanism of protection against high irradiance, but to different extent and to some extent by different processes. The study was unique, as plants were grown and photoinhibited under natural conditions rather than the artificial light, as was the case in most of the studies so far. Results showed better adaptation of high-light grown plants and suggested role for chl a/b ratio and lutein, in addition to xanthophylls cycle in shade plants. Low-light grown plants could also completely adapt to full level of sunlight within 3 days of the treatment and xanthophylls cycle (measured as V, A and Z) and activity of de-epoxidase seemed to be important in this adaptation.