Diffusive and Metabolic Limitations to Photosynthesis under Drought and Salinity in C 3 Plants
Abstract
Abstract: Drought and salinity are two widespread environmental conditions leading to low water availability for plants. Low water availability is considered the main environmental factor limiting photosynthesis and, consequently, plant growth and yield worldwide. There has been a long‐standing controversy as to whether drought and salt stresses mainly limit photosynthesis through diffusive resistances or by metabolic impairment. Reviewing in vitro and in vivo measurements, it is concluded that salt and drought stress predominantly affect diffusion of CO 2 in the leaves through a decrease of stomatal and mesophyll conductances, but not the biochemical capacity to assimilate CO 2 , at mild to rather severe stress levels. The general failure of metabolism observed at more severe stress suggests the occurrence of secondary oxidative stresses, particularly under high‐light conditions. Estimates of photosynthetic limitations based on the photosynthetic response to intercellular CO 2 may lead to artefactual conclusions, even if patchy stomatal closure and the relative increase of cuticular conductance are taken into account, as decreasing mesophyll conductance can cause the CO 2 concentration in chloroplasts of stressed leaves to be considerably lower than the intercellular CO 2 concentration. Measurements based on the photosynthetic response to chloroplast CO 2 often confirm that the photosynthetic capacity is preserved but photosynthesis is limited by diffusive resistances in drought and salt‐stressed leaves.
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Diffusive limitations to photosynthesis are a consequence of stomatal closure and increased leaf resistance to CO2 transport, as generally observed under mild to moderate water deficit.
“The diffusive limitations are a consequence of stomatal closure (i.e., decreased stomatal conductance, gs) and increased leaf resistance to CO2 transport from the atmosphere to the site of carboxylation (i.e., decreased mesophyll conductance, gm), as generally observed under mild to moderate water deficit (WD) (Chaves et al., 2003, 2009; Flexas et al., 2004; von Caemmerer and Evans, 2010).”
From Rubisco and Rubisco Activase Play an Important Role in the Biochemical Limitations of Photosynthesis in Rice, Wheat, and Maize under High Temperature and Water Deficit (2017) · cites this paper as Flexas et al., 2004
Metabolic limitations to photosynthesis under drought have been associated with impaired ATP synthesis.
“Metabolic limitations to photosynthesis under drought have been associated with impaired ATP synthesis (Tezara et al., 1999; Flexas et al., 2004; Singh et al., 2014), which is due to a decrease in the electron transport rate (J) (Flexas et al., 1999; Galmés et al., 2007a).”
From Rubisco and Rubisco Activase Play an Important Role in the Biochemical Limitations of Photosynthesis in Rice, Wheat, and Maize under High Temperature and Water Deficit (2017) · cites this paper as Flexas et al., 2004
Water deficit and high temperature limit photosynthesis in C3 and C4 species.
“It is known that WD and HT limit photosynthesis in C3 (Flexas et al., 2004; Hu et al., 2010) and C4 species (Ripley et al., 2007; Ghannoum, 2009).”
From Rubisco and Rubisco Activase Play an Important Role in the Biochemical Limitations of Photosynthesis in Rice, Wheat, and Maize under High Temperature and Water Deficit (2017) · cites this paper as Flexas et al., 2004
The decrease in photosynthetic rate under salinity, drought, and temperature stress is normally attributed to suppression in mesophyll conductance and stomatal closure at moderate and severe stress.
“Thus, the decrease in photosynthetic rate under stressful conditions (salinity, drought, and temperature) is normally attributed to a suppression in the mesophyll conductance and the stomata closure at moderate and severe stress (Flexas et al. 2004, Chaves et al. 2009).”
From Photosynthesis under stressful environments: An overview (2013) · cites this paper as Flexas et al. 2004
Cites
Understanding plant responses to drought—from genes to the whole plant.
Chaves, M. M., Maroco, J. P., & Pereira, J. S. (2003) · Functional Plant Biology · doi:10.1071/fp02076 · Cited by 3,845 · see citing works
Flexas, J., Bota, J., Escalona, J. M., Sampol, B., & Medrano, H. (2002) · Australian Journal of Plant Physiology · doi:10.1071/pp01119 · Cited by 701 · see citing works
Self-citationGunasekera, D., & Berkowitz, G. A. (1993) · Plant Physiology · doi:10.1104/pp.103.2.629 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
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Photosynthesis under stressful environments: An overview
Ashraf, M., & Harris, P. J. C. (2013) · Photosynthetica · doi:10.1007/s11099-013-0021-6 · Cited by 2,028 · see citing works
GRASSI, G., & MAGNANI, F. (2005) · Plant, Cell & Environment · doi:10.1111/j.1365-3040.2005.01333.x · Cited by 820 · see citing works
Perdomo, J. A., Capó-Bauçà, S., Carmo-Silva, E., & Galmés, J. (2017) · Frontiers in Plant Science · doi:10.3389/fpls.2017.00490 · Cited by 364 · see citing works
“Metabolic limitations to photosynthesis under drought have been associated with impaired ATP synthesis (Tezara et al., 1999; Flexas et al., 2004; Singh et al., 2014), which is due to a decrease in the electron transport rate (J) (Flexas et al., 1999; Galmés et al., 2007a).”
BackgroundBenevenuto, R. F., Agapito-Tenfen, S. Z., Vilperte, V., Wikmark, O.-G., van Rensburg, P. J., & Nodari, R. O. (2017) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0173069 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
- Authors
- Flexas, J., Bota, J., Loreto, F., Cornic, G., & Sharkey, T. D.
- Affiliations
- Universitat de les Illes Balears (ES)
- National Research Council (IT)
- Université Paris-Sud (FR)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- Corresponding author
- Flexas, J.
- Venue
- Plant Biology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2004-05
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 269-279
- ISSN
- 1435-8603 (ISSN-L)
- 1438-8677
- OpenAlex
- W2092732938
- Cited by
- 1,467
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 112 · 2025: 93 · 2024: 82 · 2023: 77 · 2022: 91 · 2021: 103 · 2020: 103 · 2019: 92 · 2018: 82 · 2017: 61 · 2016: 81 · 2015: 58 · 2014: 69 · 2013: 80 · 2012: 56
- FWCI
- 1.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Plant Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Keywords
- photosynthesis, drought stress, salt stress, C3 plants, CO2 diffusion, stomatal conductance, mesophyll conductance, photosynthetic limitation, intercellular CO2 concentration, cuticular conductance, oxidative stress, high light, photosynthetic capacity
- MeSH terms
- Carbon Dioxide, Disasters, Nitrate Reductases, Photosynthesis, Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase, Sodium Chloride, Water, Plant Leaves, Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins, Nitrate Reductase
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