EFFECT OF CONTINUOUS FAR-RED PREIRRADIATION ON THE LAG PHASE OF CHLOROPHYLL A ACCUMULATION IN PHARBITIS NIL COTYLEDONS

In Pharbitis nil cotyledons, the lag phase of chlorophyll a (Chi a) accumulation which continues for about 2 h after the onset of continuous white light is eliminated by preirradiation with far-red light (FR) for 24 or 48 h. When the period of FR preirradiation is prolonged to 72 h or more, however, the lag phase is observed again (FR-induced lag phase) and the rate of Chi a accumulation during the rapid accumulation phase is lowered below the dark control level.
The application of exogenous 5-aminolevulinate (J-ALA) completely eliminates the FR-induced lag phase, but this treatment eliminates the normal lag phase in dark-grown cotyledons only partially (i.e. Chi a is accumulated but only slowly during the first few h). Application of a 5-ALA precursor, such as glycin + succinate. 2-ketoglutarate or glutamate, eliminates neither the FR-induced lag phase nor the normal lag phase.
A 24- or 48-h FR irradiation seems not only to enable the synthesis of 5-ALA but also to make the other regulatory factors favourable for Chi accumulation. When the period of FR irradiation is prolonged to 72 h or more, the ability to synthesize 5-ALA may be lost.