Photoreception in plants

 Phytochrome is a photoreceptor found in seeds, stems and buds in plants.

 Bluish green in colour.
 Protein component bonded to a non-protein light absorbing pigment molecule.
 Phytochrome exists in two -convertible forms.
 Phytochrome red (Pr/P660) and Phytochrome far red(P fr/P730). Hodder pg 206

1. Phytochrome affects the germination of seeds

 The germination of some seeds is heavily influenced by exposure to red and far-red light.
 A seedling that emerges from soil only contains P r because it has not been exposed to light.

 Pfr stimulates germination. This ensures that seeds germinate only when long durations of light
are available.
 This increases chances of survival of the seedling.
 Seeds falling on forest floor, below the canopy, will not germinate until a large tree falls down.
The seeds on the forest floor acts as a reserve and ensure that some plants survive even if there
is a disastrous year in which adult plants cannot produce seeds,
 Conversion of phytochromes- Stafford pg 39

2. Greening – refers to the changes that a young seedling undergoes as soon as it emerges from the soil.

The exposure to light stimulates the production of P fr which promotes the formation of chlorophyll, leaf
development and unrolling primary leaves. It also inhibit the elongation of internodes.

Etiolation

Is the opposite of greening. It occurs when plants are kept in complete darkness. P r is produced in
darkness and brings about the elongation of Internodes and yellowing of leaves. The elongation of stem
helps the plant to grow rapidly upward search in light.

3. Phytochrome influence the timing of flowering

Phytochrome provide a mechanism to detect the length of daylight or night (photoperiod). This
influences the timing of flowering in some plants.

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a) Long day plants ( LDP) flower only in summer, when the days are longer than nights. Flowering is
stimulated by Pfr

b) Short day plants (SDP) flower only in Autumn, when the days are shorter than nights. Flowering is
stimulated by Pr.

c) Day neutral plants (DNP) are unaffected by the length of the day.

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Stafford pg 40

Florigen- pearson text book pg 238

The plants produce florigen in response to the changing level of phytochromes.

Current model of how phytochrome detect changes in day-length

1. mRNA molecules and proteins, coded by specific genes, can also function as growth substances.

2. It is a molecule of this sort that might be transported about the plant via the plasmodesmata and the
symplast pathway.

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3. FT- flowering locus gene is activated in leaves of photoperiodically- induced plants.

4. FT-mRNA travels from induced leaves to stem apex.

5. In the cells there FT mRNA is translated into FT protein.

6. This protein, bonded to a transcription factor, activates several flowering genes and switches off the
genes for vegetative growth.

Phytochrome and flowering -suggested model ( Hodder diagram)

Phytochromes and gene regulation

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