Probing corticular photosynthesis through in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence measurements: evidence that high internal CO2 levels suppress electron flow and increase the risk of photoinhibition

Twigs of many woody plants possess chlorenchyma under a well‐developed periderm which lacks stomata and impedes both gas diffusion and light penetration. The so‐called corticular photosynthesis, occurring in the shade and under extremely high CO2 concentrations, was probed in this study through in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. Field comparisons between twigs and corresponding leaves in five species indicated that both the dark‐ and light‐adapted PSII photochemical efficiencies are considerably lower in twigs at all incident photon fluence rates, in spite of the significant attenuation of solar radiation by the periderm. Light saturation curves for linear electron transport rates (corrected according to the actual light intensities reaching twig chlorenchyma) were compatible with a shade‐acclimated photosynthetic machinery, showing very low maximum electron transport rates (at approximately 5% of the corresponding leaf values) and threshold irradiances for light saturation. However, removing periderms from twig segments (i.e. relieving the twig interior form the high CO2 partial pressures) considerably improved the light‐adapted (but not the dark‐adapted) PSII photochemical efficiency, allowing the assumption that the high internal CO2 levels may interfere with the smooth functioning of photosynthesis. Indeed, laboratory experiments with twig segments equilibrated under various CO2 levels (0.036–20%), resulted in a progressive decrease of light‐adapted PSII photochemical yield, with the values obtained at 20% CO2 being similar to those obtained with intact twigs in the field. Further experiments indicated that high CO2 combined with high light suppressed the development of a photoprotective non‐photochemical quenching through a reduction of its fast relaxing component, accompanied by a higher risk of photoinhibition. It is suggested that high internal CO2 concentrations in twigs impede photosynthesis possibly through acidification of protoplasm and impairment of the pH‐dependent high energy state quenching followed by reduction in the efficiency of heat dissipation.