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Drought-Driven Divergence in Photosynthetic Performance Between Two Cunninghamia lanceolata Provenances: Insights from Gas Exchange and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Dynamics

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Cunninghamia lanceolata, contributing 25% to China’s commercial timber production, faces severe drought threats. However, provenance-specific photosynthetic adaptations remain poorly understood. Here, we compared gas exchange, prompt/delayed fluorescence (PF/DF), and modulated 820-nm reflection (MR) responses of two provenances (JXJJ and FJSM) under different drought treatment times. JXJJ maintained a higher net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (Gs) than FJSM under drought stress. The declining rates of FV/FM, φEO, ΨO, δRO, PIABS, TRO/CSM, and ETO/CSM were much more rapid in the FJSM than in the JXJJ. An MR kinetics analysis revealed significantly greater PSI impairment in FJSM, evidenced by a 60.2% reduction in P700+ re-reduction rate (Vred) compared to only 44.4% in JXJJ (p < 0.05) at 20 d drought treatment. Similarly, DF measurements demonstrated more pronounced PSII energy transfer disruption in FJSM, with the I2/I1 ratio increasing by 51.3% vs. 43.0% in JXJJ at 20 d drought treatment. These results demonstrate JXJJ’s superior drought resilience through coordinated stomatal and non-stomatal regulation. Our findings provide actionable criteria for selecting drought-tolerant C. lanceolata provenances, which is essential for sustainable forestry as the climate changes. This study underscores the significance of photosynthetic activity in how C. lanceolata responds to drought and gives insights into boosting drought tolerance in forest species through genetic improvements.
Source: Plants
DOI: 10.3390/plants14101487
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
OpenAlex ID: W4410399026
FWCI: 1.746
Cites: 47
Cited by: 4
Related to: 10