Different photosynthetic acclimation mechanisms are activated under waterlogging in two contrasting Lolium perenne genotypes.

Increased precipitation and snowmelt during warmer winters may lead to low-temperature waterlogging of plants. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is one of the most important cool-season grasses in agriculture. It is well adapted to cold climates, and may be considered as a model system for studying the mechanisms involved in cold acclimation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of waterlogging on photosynthetic acclimation to cold in perennial ryegrass. Two L. perenne genotypes that differ in their responses to waterlogging in terms of freezing tolerance were compared. We evaluated the effects of waterlogging during cold acclimation on the water-soluble carbohydrate concentration, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity, photochemical efficiency of PSII, and transcript levels of the Rubisco activase (RcaA) and sucrose-sucrose fructosyltransferase (1-SST) genes. The genotype that did not accumulate water-soluble carbohydrates in the leaf under waterlogging showed a lower degree of feedback inhibition of photosynthesis under low temperature, and activated a photochemical mechanism of photosynthetic acclimation to cold. The other genotype accumulated water-soluble carbohydrates in the leaf during waterlogging, and activated a non-photochemical mechanism under cold conditions. Different photosynthetic acclimation systems to cold under waterlogging may be activated in these two contrasting L. perenne genotypes.