Abstract
Salicylic acid (SA) is a well-known signalling molecule playing a role in local and systemic acquired resistance against pathogens as well as in acclimation to certain abiotic stressors. As a stress-related signalling compound, it may directly or indirectly affect various physiological processes, including photosynthesis. The effects of exogenously applied SA on plant physiological processes under optimal environmental conditions are controversial. Several studies suggest that SA may have a positive effect on germination or plant growth in various plant species. However, SA may also act as a stress factor, having a negative influence on various physiological processes. Its mode of action depends greatly on several factors, such as the plant species, the environmental conditions (light, temperature, etc.) and the concentration. Exogenous SA may also alleviate the damaging effects of various stress factors, and this protection may also be manifested as higher photosynthetic capacity. Unfavourable environmental conditions have also been shown to increase the endogenous SA level in plants. Recent results strongly suggest that controlled SA levels are important in plants for optimal photosynthetic performance and for acclimation to changing environmental stimuli. The present review discusses the effects of exogenous and endogenous SA on the photosynthetic processes under optimal and stress conditions.
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Abbreviations
- CA:
-
Cinnamic acid
- C i :
-
Intercellular CO2 concentration
- F m :
-
Maximum chlorophyll-a fluorescence at dark-adapted state
- F v :
-
Variable chlorophyll-a fluorescence at dark-adapted state
- g s :
-
Stomatal conductivity
- ICS:
-
Isochorismate synthase
- NPQ:
-
Non-photochemical fluorescence quenching
- oHCA:
-
ortho-Hydroxycinnamic acid
- PAL:
-
Phenylalanine ammonia lyase
- PEPC:
-
Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase
- P N :
-
Net photosynthetic rate
- PS:
-
Photosystem
- ROS:
-
Reactive oxygen species
- SA:
-
Salicylic acid
- TL:
-
Thermoluminescence
- ΦPSII :
-
Actual photochemical efficiency of PSII
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This work was supported by Hungarian National Research Fund (OTKA PD 83840; K 108838/108834). Magda Pál is a grantee of János Bolyai scholarship.
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Communicated by A. K. Kononowicz.
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Janda, T., Gondor, O.K., Yordanova, R. et al. Salicylic acid and photosynthesis: signalling and effects. Acta Physiol Plant 36, 2537–2546 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-014-1620-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-014-1620-y