Differential characteristics of photochemical acclimation to cold in two contrasting sweet sorghum hybrids

Sweet sorghum has a photosynthetic system which is highly sensitive to cold stress and hence strongly limits its development in temperate environments; therefore, the identification of key exploitable cold tolerance traits is imperative. From a preliminary field trial, two dissimilar sweet sorghum hybrids (ICSSH31 and Bulldozer), in terms of early vigor and productivity, were selected for a controlled-environment trial aiming at identifying useful traits related to acclimation mechanisms to cold stress. The higher cold tolerance of Bulldozer was partially related to a more efficient photochemical regulation mechanism of the incoming light energy: the higher tolerance of photosystem II (PSII) to photo-inactivation was because of a more effective dissipation capacity of the excess of energy and to a more balanced diversion of the absorbed energy into alternative energy sinks. ICSSH31 increased the dissipation and accumulation of a large amount of xanthophylls, as in Bulldozer, but, at the same time, inactivated the oxygen evolving complex and the re-synthesis of chlorophyll (Chl) a and b, thus, leading to an overproduction of CO2 fixation enzymes after re-warming. In summary, in Bulldozer, the acclimation adjustments of the photosynthetic apparatus occurred through an efficient control of energy transfer toward the reaction centers, and this likely allowed a more successful seedling establishment; ICSSH31, conversely, exhibited a fast re-synthesis of Chl pigments, which appears to divert photosynthates from dry matter accumulation. Such broad acclimation traits may constitute a source for selecting higher genetic gain traits relevant for enlarging the growing season of promising biomass sorghum ideotypes in temperate climates.