Dissection of Photosynthetic Electron Transport Process in Sweet Sorghum under Heat Stress

Plant photosynthesis and photosystem II (PSII) are susceptible to high temperature. However, photosynthetic electron transport process under heat stress remains unclear. To reveal this issue, chlorophyll a fluorescence and modulated 820 nm reflection were simultaneously detected in sweet sorghum. At 43°C, J step in the chlorophyll a fluorescence transient was significantly elevated, suggesting that electron transport beyond primary quinone of PSII (Q(A)) (primary quinone electron acceptor of PSII) was inhibited. PSI (Photosystem I) photochemical capacity was not influenced even under severe heat stress at 48°C. Thus, PSI oxidation was prolonged and PSI re-reduction did not reach normal level. The inhibition of electron transport between PSII and PSI can reduce the possibility of PSI photoinhibition under heat stress. PSII function recovered entirely one day after heat stress at 43°C, implying that sweet sorghum has certain self-remediation capacity. When the temperature reached 48°C, the maximum quantum yield for primary photochemistry and the electron transport from PSII donor side were remarkably decreased, which greatly limited the electron flow to PSI, and PSI re-reduction suspended. The efficiency of an electron transferred from the intersystem electron carrier (plastoquinol, PQH₂) to the end electron acceptors at the PSI acceptor side increased significantly at 48°C, and the reason was the greater inhibition of electron transport before PQH₂. Thus, the fragment from Q(A) to PQH₂ is the most heat sensitive in the electron transport chain between PSII and PSI in sweet sorghum.