Photosynthetica 2025,63(4):309-321 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2025.029

Spectral light quality differentially modulates PSII energy partitioning among soybean genotypes

M. MARTÍNEZ-MORÉ1, 2, S. SIMONDI3, M.M. SAINZ4, V. BONNECARRÈRE5, S. FERNÁNDEZ6, G. QUERO1
1 Photobiology Laboratory, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Agronomy, Universidad de la República, Garzón 809, Montevideo, Uruguay
2 Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
3 Mathematics Area, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (FCEN-UNCuyo), Padre Contreras 1300, Mendoza, Argentina
4 Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Agronomy, Universidad de la República, Garzón 809, Montevideo, Uruguay
5 Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), Plant Genetic Improvement and Biotechnology Area, Wilson Ferreira Aldunate Experimental Station, Ruta 48, Km 10, Rincón del Colorado, 90200, Canelones, Uruguay
6 Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de la República, Julio Herrera y Reissig 565, Montevideo, Uruguay

Cultivated soybean is a globally important crop; understanding its responses to different light spectra within the canopy is essential, especially considering the limited agricultural area. Energy flux and spectral quality are key components of the light environment that determine photosynthesis and, consequently, plant growth. These factors influence the composition and structure of photosystem II, thereby affecting energy partitioning between photochemical and nonphotochemical processes. This study evaluated the photosynthetic performance of two soybean genotypes under four light environments with distinct spectral compositions but equal energy flux. Results showed that PSII efficiency improved by the wavelengths outside the PAR range, irrespective of genotype. However, quantum yield parameters revealed genotype-specific responses under blue and red light. Plants exposed exclusively to red light exhibited reduced photosynthetic efficiency and increased photodamage after prolonged exposure, consistent with red light syndrome.

Additional key words: Glycine max; photosystem II; quantum yields; quenching analysis; red light syndrome; relaxation analysis.

Received: July 17, 2025; Revised: September 10, 2025; Accepted: September 23, 2025; Prepublished online: October 20, 2025; Published: December 31, 2025  Show citation

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MARTÍNEZ-MORÉ, M., SIMONDI, S., SAINZ, M.M., BONNECARRÈRE, V., FERNÁNDEZ, S., & QUERO, G. (2025). Spectral light quality differentially modulates PSII energy partitioning among soybean genotypes. Photosynthetica, 63(4), 309-321. doi: 10.32615/ps.2025.029
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