ARS | Publication request: CONSTRACTING MECHANISMS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHILLING-INDUCED INHIBITION OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN WARM CLIMATE CROP PLANTS

Submitted to: International Congress of Plant Physiology
Publication Type: Proceedings/Symposium
Publication Acceptance Date: May 15, 2003
Publication Date: August 1, 2004
Citation: Ort, D.R. 2004, 1-10. Constracting mechanisms responsible for chilling-induced inhibition of photosynthesis in warm climate crop plants. Indian Journal of Plant Physiology 2003 (Special Issue).

Technical Abstract: Many of the most important agronomic species grown in temperate regions of the world have evolutionary origins in warmer tropical and subtropical habitats. Unlike native temperate climate species, most of these warm climate species have very limited capacity to acclimate to cool temperatures. The cool temperature sensitivity of these crops plays a central role in determining the growing range as well as annual variations in their economic success thus explaining the long term interest in discovering the mechanistic bases for low temperature sensitivity. It is hoped that by defining the primary chilling-induced metabolic dysfunctions in these crops that it will be possible to devise strategies to minimize the sensitivity. However, a large body of research has revealed that the relevant physiological base of chilling sensitivity depends critically on the seasonal climatic conditions of the target growing region, whether the low temperature episodes occur at night or in the light, as well as on the species of warm climate plant under consideration.