Effects of drought on photosynthetic characteristics of flag leaves of a newly-developed super-high-yield rice hybrid

We investigated responses of chloroplasts from flag leaves of a newly-developed super-high-yield rice (Oryza sativa L.) hybrid LiangYouPeiJiu (LYPJ) to water stress (withholding irrigation) during the grain-filling period. In the early stage of water stress (0–6 d) only the activity of Hill reaction was inhibited, whereas activities of photophosphorylation and Ca2+-ATPase, and ATP content were increased and peaked in the day 6 of withholding irrigation. In the late stage of water stress (6-12 d), the activities of photosynthetic O2 evolution, Hill reaction, photophosphorylation, and Ca2+- ATPase, and ATP content were significantly reduced. The membrane lipid content was sharply decreased, especially of sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerol (SQDG) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). The changes in the ultrastructure of chloroplasts included mainly a decrease in number of grana and increase in number of osmiophilic granules.