The Influence of Stress Conditions on Chlorophyll Content of Two Range Grasses with Contrasting Photosynthetic Pathways

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Abstract
The influence of various treatments and temperature regimes on total chlorophylls and on the chlorophyll a:b ratio of western wheatgrass and blue grama plants was investigated at different time intervals during the 120-day growth period. Western wheatgrass, a C3 species, accumulated greater amounts of chlorophyll than did blue grama plants, a C4 species. Maximum concentrations (mg gd wt−1) of chlorophylls in western wheatgrass and in blue grama were recorded at the lower (13/7°C) and higher (30/18°C) temperature regimes. Nitrogen fertilizer alone decreased the chlorophyll content in both species. The chlorophyll a:b ratio in blue grama ranged from an average of 2·00 under irrigated plus fertilized conditions to 3·00 under control and fertilized conditions. On the other hand, the chlorophyll a:b ratio in western wheatgrass remained constant at 3·00 throughout the growing season under various treatments and temperature regimes.

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