Estimation of the relative sizes of rate constants for chlorophyll de-excitation processes through comparison of inverse fluorescence intensities.

The paper derives a simple way to calculate the linear relationships between all separable groups of rate constants for de-excitation of Chl a excitation energy. This is done by comparison of the inverse values of chlorophyll fluorescence intensities and is based on the matrix model of Kitajima and Butler and on the lake model of energy exchange among PSII centers. Compared with the outputs of earlier, similar calculations, the results presented here add some linear comparisons of the relative sizes of rate constants without the need for F(0)' measurement. This enables us to regenerate the same alternative formula to calculate q(L) as presented previously, in a different and simple form. The same former equation to calculate F(0)' value from F(m), F(m)' and F(0) values is also regenerated in our calculation system in a simple form. We also apply relaxation analysis to separate the rate constant for non-photochemical quenching (k(NPQ)) into the rate constant for a fast-relaxing non-photochemical quenching (k(fast)) and the rate constant for slow-relaxing non-photochemical quenching (k(slow)). Changes in the sizes of rate constants were measured in Arabidopsis thaliana and in rice.