Thus, wavelength-dependent differences in the fraction of selleck inhibitor incident light reaching the

photosystems are reflected by differences in Φco2, but at low light intensities not necessarily by differences in Φ PSII. Second, carotenoids differ in the efficiency (35–90 %) with which they transfer excitation energy to chlorophylls, whereas the chlorophyll to chlorophyll energy transfer efficiency in antenna complexes is nearly 100 % (Croce et al. 2001; de Weerd et al. 2003a, b; Caffarri et al. 2007). The transfer efficiency of carotenoids depends on their chemical structure buy Copanlisib and position within the photosynthetic apparatus. Carotenoids have absorption maxima in the blue and green regions, and therefore, blue light is used less efficiently by the photosystems than e.g., red light. Wavelength-dependent differences in the fraction of light absorbed by carotenoids affect the fraction of absorbed light reaching the

RCs of the photosystems. This leads Vistusertib manufacturer to the same argument as in the previous paragraph, i.e., this effect decreases Φco2 but at low light intensities does not necessarily decrease Φ PSII. Third, leaves contain non-photosynthetic pigments such as flavonoids and free carotenoids. These pigments predominantly absorb light in the UV region but also in the blue and green part of the spectrum. These non-photosynthetic pigments are not connected to the photosystems and do not transfer the absorbed energy to the photosynthetic apparatus (see Question 31 for a discussion of these compounds and their detection). The absorption of light by non-photosynthetic pigments will

reduce the fraction of the incident light reaching the photosystems especially in the blue and to a smaller extent in the green. Again this will affect Φco2 at these wavelengths but at low light intensities not necessarily Φ PSII. Finally, the pigment composition and absorbance properties of PSI and PSII differ, and therefore, the balance of excitation between the two photosystems is wavelength dependent for a given state of the photosynthetic apparatus (e.g., Evans 1986; Chow et al. 1990a, b; Melis 1991; Walters and Horton 1995; Hogewoning et al. 2012). In practice, when light within a narrow-band Doxacurium chloride wavelength range is used to illuminate a white-light acclimated leaf, one of the two photosystems is often excited more strongly than the other. Any imbalance in excitation between the two photosystems results in a loss of Φco2. This wavelength dependence is especially clear in the FR region. FR light still quite efficiently excites PSI but is very inefficiently absorbed by PSII (see Question 16). This is called “the red drop” and, as noted above, this leads to a rapid decline of ΦO2 and consequently of Φco2 as well at wavelengths longer than 685 nm. Obviously, when PSI is excited strongly by FR light, but PSII is excited only very weakly, electron flow from PSII to PSI is not restricted, and therefore, Φ PSII will be high.