Regulatory factors of photosynthetic capacity and nitrogen use efficiency in C4 crops

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24380010
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Crop science/Weed science
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: UENO OSAMU 九州大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 教授 (70414886)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 光合成 / C4植物 / 光合成能力 / 窒素利用効率 / イネ科 / カヤツリグサ科 / C4サブタイプ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated the variations in photosynthetic traits and photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) and their regulatory factors in C4 grasses and closely related C4 group. The cultivar and species variations in photosynthetic traits and PNUE were examined for the C4 crops, maize and amaranth. There were variations of 1.5-2.1 times between the minimum and maximum values of photosynthetic rate and PNUE. The stomatal conductance and the decarboxylation of C4 acids and later process in C4 photosynthesis were strongly involved in the variation in photosynthetic rate. In grasses, remarkable difference in PNUE was also found among photosynthetic types; NADP-ME C4 > NAD-ME C4 = PCK C4 > C3 grasses. Irrespective of C3 and C4 species, PNUE of sedges (Cyperaceae) was lower than that of grasses. This study also revealed the nitrogen responses of photosynthetic and structural traits in leaves of the C4 crops, sorghum and millet.

Free Research Field

植物生産生理学