Spectral light quality differentially modulates PSII energy partitioning among soybean genotypes

M. MARTÍNEZ-MORÉ, S. SIMONDI, M.M. SAINZ, V. BONNECARRÈRE, S. FERNÁNDEZ, G. QUERO

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

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....

Additional far-red light improves the growth and resistance of the photosynthetic apparatus of Lactuca sativa L. to high-intensity light

V.D. KRESLAVSKI, P.P. PASHKOVSKIY, A.N. SHMAREV, A.Yu. KHUDYAKOVA, V.V. STROKINA, A.A. IVANOV, A.A. KOSOBRYUKHOV, S.I. ALLAKHVERDIEV

Photosynthetica 2025,63(4):322-331 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2025.032  

The effects of additional far-red light (FRL) on the growth parameters, photosynthetic activity, and pro- or antioxidant balance of Lactuca sativa L. plants grown for 30 d were studied. The plants were grown under white light-emitting diodes with equal PAR intensities at red/far-red light ratios of 0.29, 0.89, and 1.67 and without FRL. Compared to the absence of the FRL, growth at a 0.29 ratio caused an increase in plant biomass and leaf area, but a decrease in PSII activity, net photosynthetic rate (P_N) per unit area, and stomatal conductance. High irradiance for 4 h at 1,000 μmol(photon) m^-2 s^-1...

Gordon Research Conference on Photosynthesis 2025: Mechanisms of the Process Driving the Biosphere Through the Lenses of Experiment and Computation

C.J. GISRIEL, J. LIU, D.A. FLESHER, K.E. REDDING

Photosynthetica 2025,63(4):332-339 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2025.033  

Herein, we report on the 2025 Gordon Research Conference (27 July-1 August) and its preceding Gordon Research Seminar (26-27 July) on Photosynthesis, entitled "Mechanisms of the Process Driving the Biosphere Through the Lenses of Experiment and Computation". Both were held at Sunday River Resort in Newry, Maine, USA. The seminar and conference brought together an international group of photosynthesis researchers to discuss the most cutting-edge work uncovering photosynthetic mechanisms via computation, genetic manipulation, systems biology, structural biology, and much more.

Increase in photosynthetic carbon assimilation and gas exchange through foliar application of melatonin in green bean plants

C.A. RAMÍREZ-ESTRADA, E.H. OCHOA-CHAPARRO, E. NAVARRO-LEÓN, J.C. ANCHONDO-PAÉZ, J.J. PATIÑO-CRUZ, C.L. FRANCO-LAGOS, A. ALVAREZ-MONGE, E. SÁNCHEZ

Photosynthetica 2025,63(4):340-345 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2025.036  

Crop productivity depends largely on photosynthetic efficiency, which is key to converting light energy into assimilates for biomass accumulation. The use of biostimulants such as melatonin (MEL) has emerged as a sustainable alternative to improve internal processes in plants and increase production. However, its effect on beans has not yet been clearly described. This study evaluated the foliar application of MEL on physiological and productive variables of Strike beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The plants were grown in vermiculite/perlite substrate (2:1) for 60 d, applying MEL [0, 1, 10, and 100 µM] weekly from 15 d after sowing. All...

Unravelling the differential responses of critically endangered Onobrychis conferta populations to drought and salinity stress

A. SAKHRAOUI, H.B. LTAEIF, J.M. CASTILLO, S. ROUZ

Photosynthetica 2025,63(4):346-357 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2025.034  

Understanding stress responses of endangered plants is vital for their conservation under climate change. We examined the effects of iso-osmotic drought (PEG) and salinity (NaCl) on the growth and physiology of three populations of the critically endangered legume Onobrychis conferta subsp. conferta (OC1, OC2, OC3) endemic to North-Western Tunisia. Both stresses reduced photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO₂, and carboxylation efficiency, while increasing intrinsic water-use efficiency. PSII photoinhibition (F_v/F_m decline) occurred after 6 d. Prolonged stress suppressed growth and water...

Phytomelatonin and post-drought stomatal recovery: psychotropic-like signaling in guard-cell dynamics

I. ACCOSSATO

Photosynthetica 2025,63(4):358 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2025.039  

Recent advances in plant stress analysis using chlorophyll a fluorescence

K.W. CHANG, H. TANG, L.J. FU, Q. XIA, Z.Y. PAN, J.L. TAN, V. LYSENKO, Y. GUO

Photosynthetica 2025,63(4):359-373 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2025.037  

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF), a sensitive, real-time, and nondestructive indicator of photosynthesis, enables noninvasive elucidation of the complex physiological and biochemical processes of plants. It plays a unique and important role in plant research, ecological evaluation, and agriculture. To provide a holistic picture of research on ChlF applications over the past decade, a knowledge map was first conducted, which revealed six major areas of ChlF applications in plant stress evaluation and reduction, including drought stress, temperature stress, salt stress, water stress, toxicity stress, and nitrogen stress. This work then systematically...

Twenty years of the International Conferences on Photosynthesis and Hydrogen Energy Research for Sustainability

A.W.D. LARKUM, R. SUBRAMANYAM, G. GOVINDJEE, S.I. ALLAKHVERDIEV

Photosynthetica 2025,63(4):374-384 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2025.035  

The International Conference on "Photosynthesis and Hydrogen Energy Research" was inaugurated in 2004 in Trois Rivières, Canada, as "Photosynthesis and Post-Genomics Era". It was conceived by its founders, Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev (Russia), Vyacheslav (Slava) Klimov (Russia), Robert Carpentier (Canada), and Prasanna Mohanty (India) to be an alternating conference to the bigger International Congress on Photosynthesis, which was then held every three years. The name was changed to the International Conference on Photosynthesis (ICP) in 2011. In 2013, "Hydrogen Production" was added, and then finally the current name, "International Conference...