Quenching of a room temperature fluorescence band at 693 nm during photoactivation of the water-splitting system of Photosystem II in flashed barley leaves.

The modifications of the room temperature fluorescence spectrum during the photoactivation of the water-splitting system by continuous illumination were investigated in flashed barley leaves. A blue shift of the chlorophyll fluorescence band was detected during the first 2 min of illumination. During this shift, a decrease of the fluorescence intensity around 693 nm could be demonstrated in difference spectra and in second derivative spectra. This decrease is interpreted as a quenching of PS II fluorescence during the photoactivation. A relative fluorescence increase around 672 nm also occurred during the same period and is thought to reflect rapid light-induced chlorophyll formation. The flashed leaves contained small amounts of photoactive photochlorophyllide which could be removed by a short flash of intense white light given before continuous illumination. The fact that such flash had only weak effect on the 693 nm fluorescence decrease, whereas it strongly reduced the amplitude of the 672 nm fluorescence increase, favours the above interpretations.