Differential responses of photosystems I and II to seasonal drought in two Ficus species

•Hemiepiphytic and non-hemiepiphytic Ficus species exhibit contrasting growth forms.•Leaf water potential declined greatly under peak drought for both Ficus species.•PSI and PSII was more sensitive to drought in Ficus racemosa than in Ficus tinctoria.•Cyclic electron flow contributed to photoprotection in Ficus species under drought.

Hemiepiphytic Ficus species exhibit more conservative water use strategy and are more drought-tolerant compared with their non-hemiepiphytic congeners, but a difference in the response of photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) to drought stress has not been documented to date. The enhancement of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and cyclic electron flow (CEF) have been identified as important mechanisms that protect the photosystems under drought conditions. Using the hemiepiphytic Ficus tinctoria and the non-hemiepiphytic Ficus racemosa, we studied the water status and the electron fluxes through PSI and PSII under seasonal water stress. Our results clearly indicated that the decline in the leaf predawn water potential (ψpd), the maximum photosynthetic rate (Amax) and the predawn maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) were more pronounced in F. racemosa than in F. tinctoria at peak drought. The Fv/Fm of F. racemosa was reduced to 0.69, indicating net photoinhibition of PSII. Concomitantly, the maximal photo-oxidizable P700 (Pm) decreased significantly in F. racemosa but remained stable in F. tinctoria. The fraction of non-photochemical quenching [Y(NPQ)] and the ratio of effective quantum yield of PSI to PSII [Y(I)/Y(II)] increased for both Ficus species at peak drought, with a stronger increase in F. racemosa. These results indicated that the enhancement of NPQ and the activation of CEF contributed to the photoprotection of PSI and PSII for both Ficus species under seasonal drought, particularly for F. racemosa.