Cold-Induced Sudden Reversible Lowering of in Vivo Chlorophyll Fluorescence after Saturating Light Pulses

Abstract
In chilling-sensitive plants (Glycine max, Saintpaulia ionantha, Saccharum officinarum) a sudden reversible drop in chlorophyll fluorescence occurs during photosynthetic induction immediately following saturating light pulses at low temperatures in the range 4 to 8.degree.C. A comparison of two soybean cultivars of different chilling sensitivities revealed that this phenomenon, termed low-wave, indicates specific thresholds of low temperature stress. Its occurrence under controlled chilling can be regarded as a quantitative marker for screening chilling susceptibility in angiosperms.