About Book

Photosynthesis is the process used by plants, algae and certain bacteria to harness energy from sunlight into chemical energy. It is one example of how people and plants are dependent on each other in sustaining life. Through photosynthesis, certain organisms convert solar energy (sunlight) into chemical energy, which is then used to build carbohydrate molecules. All living organisms on earth consist of one or more cells. Each cell runs on the chemical energy found mainly in carbohydrate molecules (food), and the majority of these molecules are produced by one process: photosynthesis. This book elucidates the concepts and innovative models around prospective developments with respect to photosynthesis. It provides detailed information about its methods and uses. Photosynthesis provides us with most of the oxygen we need in order to breathe. There are two types of photosynthetic processes: oxygenic photosynthesis and anoxygenic photosynthesis. The opportunities that photosynthesis-based technology provides us are enormous. This process is extremely important for life on earth as it provides the oxygen that all other life depends on. This book provides in depth detail of carotenoid biosyntesis, chloroplasts, light harvesting, artificial photosynthesis, insect herbivory, functional genomics, flowering initiation, regulatory mechanisms, rootstock, genotypes and pulsed lighting. The aim of the book is to familiarize the readers with the process and associated chemicals. Most of the topics introduced in this book are of utmost importance to gain understanding about the topic. Coherent flow of topics, student-friendly language and extensive use of examples make this an invaluable source of knowledge. The topics covered in this book offer the readers new insights in the field of photosynthesis.

Preface............................................................................................................v

Chapter 1 Introductory Chapter: Evolution of Photosynthesis...........................1

1. Evolution of photosynthetic systems................................................1

2. Protein structure for light harvesting and reaction centers evolved

in different pathways...........................................................................3

Acknowledgements...............................................................................5

Chapter 2 Growth and Photosynthesis under Pulsed Lighting..........................6

1. Introduction............................................................................................6

2. Measurements of CO2 assimilation rates and chlorophyll

fluorescence of intact leaves...............................................................9

3. Plant growth under pulsed light.....................................................10

4. Photosynthetic capacity measured at pul-sed light.....................12

5. Conclusions..........................................................................................18

Chapter 3 Electronic Structure of Carotenoids in Natural and Artificial Photosynthesis...........................................................................................22

Abstract.................................................................................................22

1. Introduction..........................................................................................23

2. Computational methods and details...............................................25

3. Results and discussions.....................................................................26

4. Conclusions..........................................................................................38

Acknowledgements.............................................................................38

Chapter 4 Influence of Rootstock on Citrus Tree Growth: Effects on Photosynthesis and Carbohydrate Distribution, Plant Size, Yield, Fruit Quality, and Dwarfing Genotypes.............................................42

Abstract.................................................................................................42

1. Introduction..........................................................................................43

2. Factors that limit growth in citrus orchards.................................44

3. Photosynthesis and carbohydrate distribution..............................49

4. Rootstock citrus breeding programs...............................................50

5. Dwarfing rootstocks............................................................................51

6. Rootstock effects on............................................................................52

7. Conclusions..........................................................................................59

Chapter 5 Electron Transfer Routes in Oxygenic Photosynthesis: Regulatory

Mechanisms and New Perspectives.....................................................69

1. Introduction..........................................................................................69

2. The way the plant protects itself: Non-photochemical

quenching.............................................................................................70

3. Plastoquinone pool-inflicted plant resp-onses...............................75

4. Immunophilins in photosynthesis...................................................77

5. Flow and partitioning of photosynthetic electrons......................80

6. Conclusions and perspectives...........................................................86

Chapter 6 Interaction Between Flowering Initiation and Photosynthesis ....98

1. Introduction..........................................................................................98

2. Materials and methods ...................................................................101

3. Results and discussion ...................................................................103

4. Conclusion .........................................................................................117

Chapter 7 Functional Genomics of Anoxygenic Green Bacteria Chloroflexi

Species and Evolution of Photosynthesis.......................................124

1. Introduction........................................................................................124

2. Results and discussion.....................................................................127

3. Conclusions........................................................................................137

4. Abbreviations.....................................................................................138

5. Acknowledgements...........................................................................139

Chapter 8 Friend or Foe? Exploring the Factors that Determine the Difference

Between Positive and Negative Effects on Photosynthesis in

Response to Insect Herbivory..............................................................145

1. Introduction........................................................................................145

2. Photosynthesis under stress: How a vital process copes with a

permanently changing environment ............................................147

3. Photosynthesis under biotic stress: How is it regulated? .......163

4. Plant responses to herbivory from the phostosynthetic

perspective ........................................................................................169

5. Conclusion .........................................................................................187

Chapter 9 Gathering Light: Artificial Photosynthesis.......................................215

1. Introduction........................................................................................215

2. Antenna systems ..............................................................................215

3. Photoactive chromophore ..............................................................217

4. Water oxidizing complex.................................................................217

5. The dye-sensitized solar cell approach.........................................217

6. Algal systems for hydrogen............................................................218

7. Carbon capture and storage...........................................................220

8. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase.....................220

Chapter 10 Light Harvesting and Photosynthesis by the Canopy...................223

1. Introduction........................................................................................223

2. Canopy: An integrated foliage structure......................................224

3. Light harvesting................................................................................225

4. Whole canopy photosynthesis........................................................230

5. Training systems and canopy photosynthesis............................242

Chapter 11 Chloroplast Photorelocation Movement: A Sophisticated Strategy

for Chloroplasts to Perform Efficient Photosynthesis....................252

1. Introduction........................................................................................252

2. From physiological analyses to molecular genetic analyses ...254

3. Conclusion .........................................................................................271

Chapter 12 Carotenoids and Photosynthesis - Regulation of Carotenoid

Biosyntesis by Photoreceptors ............................................................280

1. Introduction........................................................................................280

2. Biosynthesis of carotenoid in plants.............................................281

3. Regulation of the carotenogenic pathway....................................284

4. Conclusion..........................................................................................296

5. Acknowledgements...........................................................................297

Citation......................................................................................................307

Index...........................................................................................................311

About Author

Ashley Umali pursued her Masters in Biochemistry from Public State University, Sackville. She is actively engaged in the research focused on photosynthetic membranes, pheophytin and photolysis. Umali has authored and edited numerous articles, journal papers and book chapters, which have been published worldwide. She is serving as a Research Associate at Technical Institute, Chihuahua. She has been the recipient of two awards for her research work in the field of photosynthesis. She also works as an editorial assistant and writer for a scientific journal and textbook publication.