Light acclimation in rose (Rosa hybrida cv. Grand Gala) leaves after pruning: Effects on chlorophyll a fluorescence, nitrate reductase, ammonium and carbohydrates

Changes in light intensity have a particular effect on the photosynthetic apparatus. Most of the studies on light acclimation in higher plants have focused on the effects of fixed light intensity. Few works deal on sudden changes in light intensity due to pruning for long periods of time. Pruning the bent shoots in roses (cv. Grand Gala) can modify the light interception in internal leaves and change their photosynthetic reactions. Before pruning, internal leaves were acclimated to low light intensity and after pruning, internal and external leaves received the same light intensity. The aim of this work was to find out how the photosynthetic light reaction, measured by chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence in internal and external leaves of arched shoot could be modulated by light changes. Other parameters described as light dependent were also measured: nitrate reductase (NR) activity, NH4+, sucrose and starch levels. Internal and external leaves in rose have shown a high plasticity, rapid and dynamical acclimation, in response to changes in incident sunlight produced by pruning, that can be explained by Chl a fluorescence parameters. The modified NR activity, NH4+, sucrose and starch levels were difficult to associated with light intensity changes, and their modulation could be the response to long-time light acclimation.