Photoinhibition of photosynthesis and mechanism of protection against photodamage in plants

Abstract

Photosynthesis is the process by which chlorophyll containing plants convert solar energy into photochemical energy. This energy is stored in the form of carbohydrates providing food for humans and all other heterotrophic organisms. In addition it provide us with fuel as well as fibre. The productive potential of this process has, until recent years, seems endless. However, the burgeoning human population with its constantly increasing demand on both present and past products of photosynthetic activity threatens our future survival. An understanding of this process under changing environmental conditions which put plant under environmental stress resulting in an aberrant change in physiological processes brought about by either one or combination of environmental factors such as light (UV and visible), temperature, salt, and drought etc., and understanding of the processes involved in protection of photosynthesis against these stresses may help us in improving the efficiency of photosynthesis and engineer plants to withstand unfavourable environmental conditions without significant loss of productivity. In this lecture we discuss mechanism of photoinhibition and processes by which plants protect itself against photoinhibitory damage is discussed.