Light‐dependent damage to photosynthesis in olive leaves during chilling and high temperature stress

Abstract The leaves of olive are long lived and likely to experience both chilling and high temperature stress during their life. Changes in photosynthetic CO₂ assimilation resulting from chilling and high temperature stress, in both dim and high light, are investigated. The quantum yield (φ) of photosynthesis at limiting light levels was reduced following chilling (at 5°C for 12 h), in dim light by approximately 10%, and in high light by 75%; the difference being attributed to photoinhibition. Similar reductions were observed in the light‐saturated rate of CO₂ uptake (A_max). Decrease in A_max correlated with a halving of the leaf internal CO₂ concentration (c_i), suggesting an increased limitation by stomata following photoinhibition. Leaves were apparently more susceptible to photoinhibitory damage if the whole plant, rather than the leaf alone, was chilled. On return to 26 °C, I he photosynthetic capacity recovered to pre‐stress levels within a few hours if leaves had been chilled in high light for 8 h or less, but did not fully recover from longer periods of chilling when loss of chlorophyll occurred. Leaves which were recovering from chilling in high light showed far more damage on being chilled a second time in high light. Three hours in high light at 38 °C reduced φ by 80%, but φ recovered within 4h of return to 26 °C. Although leaves of Olive are apparently less susceptible to photoinhibitory damage during chilling stress than the short‐lived leaves of chilling‐sensitive annual? crops, the results nevertheless show that photoinhibition during temperature stress is potentially a major factor influencing the photosynthetic productivity of Olive in the field.