Physiological Site of Ethylene Effects on Carbon Dioxide Assimilation in Glycine max L. Merr.

The physiological site of ethylene action on CO(2) assimilation was investigated in intact plants of Glycine max L., using a whole-plant, open exposure system equipped witha remotely operated single-leaf cuvette. The objective of the study was met by investigating in control and ethylene-treated plants the (a) synchrony in response of CO(2) assimilation, stomatal conductance to water vapor, and substomatal CO(2) partial pressure; (b) response of CO(2) assimilation as a function of a range of substomatal CO(2) partial pressures; and (c) response of CO(2) assimilation as a function of a range of photon flux densities. After exposure to 410 micromoles per cubic meter of ethylene for 2.0 hours, CO(2) assimilation and stomatal conductance declined in synchrony, while substomatal CO(2) partial pressure remained unchanged until exposure times equaled and exceeded 3.0 hours. Because incipient changes in CO(2) assimilation occurred without a change in the CO(2) partial pressure in the leaf interior, it is concluded that both stomatal physiology and the chloroplast's CO(2) assimilatory capacity were initial sites of ethylene action. After 3.5 hours the effect of ethylene on stomatal conductance and CO(2) assimilation exhibited saturation kinetics, and the effect was substantially more pronounced for stomatal conductance than for CO(2) assimilation. Based on the response of CO(2) assimilation to a range of substomatal CO(2) partial pressures, ethylene did not affect either the CO(2) compensation point or carboxylation efficiency at subsaturating CO(2) partial pressures. Above-ambient supplies of CO(2) did not alleviate the diminished rates of CO(2) assimilation. In partitioning the limitations imposed on CO(2) assimilation in control and ethylene-treated plants, the stomatal component accounted for only 16 and 4%, respectively. The response of CO(2) assimilation to a range of photon flux densities suggests that ethylene reduced apparent quantum yield by nearly 50%. Thus, the pronounced decline in net photosynthetic CO(2) assimilation in the presence of ethylene was due more to a loss in the mesophyll tissue's intrinsic capacity to assimilate CO(2) than to a reduction in stomatal conductance.