Interactions between irradiance, nitrogen nutrition, and water stress in the sun-shade responses of Solanum dulcamara

Abstract

When grown with adequate water and nitrogen (12 mM NO ₃ ^- ) four clones of Solanum dulcamara from sun or shade habitats in Europe showed similar potential for acclimation of photosynthesis to irradiance level during growth. When grown with limiting nitrogen (0.6 mM NO ₃ ^- ) all clones showed a low potential for acclimation of photosynthesis to irradiance during growth. If limiting nitrogen was accompanied by water stress at high irradiance, the initial slope of the irradiance response curve, and the irradiance saturated rate of photosynthesis were depressed, especially in a clone from a shaded habitat. These interactions are discussed in terms of earlier reports on the sunshade responses and sun-shade ecotypic differentiation in this species.