Mesophyll conductance, photoprotective process and optimal N partitioning are essential to the maintenance of photosynthesis at N deficient condition in a wheat yellow-green mutant (Triticum aestivum L.)

The major effect of nitrogen (N) deficiency is the inhibition on CO2 assimilation regulated by light energy absorption, transport and conversion, as well as N allocation. In this study, a yellow-green wheat mutant (Jimai5265yg) and its wild type (Jimai5265, WT) were compared between 0 mM N (N0) and 14 mM N (N14) treatments using hydroponic experiments. The mutant exhibited higher photosynthetic efficiency (An) than WT despite low chlorophyll (Chl) content in non-stressed conditions. The photosynthetic advantages of the mutant were maintained under N deficient condition. The quantitative analysis of limitations to photosynthesis revealed that CO2 diffusion associated with mesophyll conductance (gm) was the dominant limitation. Relative easiness to gain CO2 in the chloroplast contributed to the higher An of Jimai5265yg. N deficiency induced the photoinhibition of PSII, but the cyclic electron transport and photochemical activity of PSI was higher in Jimai5265yg compared to Jimai5265, which was a protective mechanism to avoid photodamage. Because of the sharp drop of An, N deficient seedlings had much lower photosynthetic N use efficiency (PNUE). However, N deficiency increased the relative content of photosynthetic N (Npsn) and decreased the relative content of storage N (Nstore). The range of change in N partitioning induced by N deficiency was smaller for Jimai5265yg compared to WT. The less insensitive to N deficiency for the mutant in terms of photosynthetic property and N partitioning suggested that gm, cyclic electron transport around PSI and more optimal N partitioning pattern is necessary to sustain photosynthesis under N deficient condition.