Impacts of Elevational Changes and Leaf Maturity Stages on Photoprotective Strategies and Biochemical Traits of Wild Fig [Ficus Carica Subsp. Rupestris (Hausskn)]

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Three leaf maturity indices were defined as young, mature and
senescence leaves. The effect of leaf phenophase resulted in
a significant alteration in photosynthetic pigments, whereas site
position had no significant effect on them. FPC values significantly
increased along leaf phenophase development. TSP
showed a sharp descending trend in the final phase of leaf
elasticity. On the contrary, the highest TSS value was observed
in senescence stage of leaf development. Such a trend was
observed for starch content. The results revealed that FPC values
significantly decreased along the elevation rise. RWC was significantly
affected by both site position change and leaf phenophase
factors, whereas ΨL was just significantly affected by leaf phenophase.
The obtained results exhibited that leaf phenophase significantly
affected six (F0, Fm, Fv/Fm, qP, NPQ,andΦPSII) out of
seven fluorescence variables. Meanwhile, the drastic effect of site
position gradient was observed in F0, Fv/Fm, andqP. Severe
decreases in leaf pigment variable values in SL are indicators of
damage to chloroplasts due to leaf senescence and reduction of
leaf moisture content, depicted through reducing leaf water
potential. The FPC and TSS contents exhibited descending trends
along site position gradients, which is consistent with the amount
of rain and temperature. A remarkable reduction was observed in
the values of Fv/Fm and Fm, ΦPSII and qP, suggesting the sufficiency
of photochemistry transformation is affected by leaf cycle
development, particularly in senescence stage.