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Updated: May 28, 2026

Evaluation of Photosynthetic Behaviors by Simultaneous Measurements of Leaf Reflectance and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analyses
Published on: August 9, 2019
Research on the Physiological Response Mechanism and Expression of Key Leaf Color Genes in 'Duojiao' Crabapple Under
Bingyuan Chen1, Min Wang1, Yuhan Yang1
1State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271002, China.
Abstract:
The first yellow-leafed crabapple variety developed in China is Malus 'Duojiao'. The light level affects its leaf color. (1) Background: Plants are frequently shaded by photovoltaic panels and green buildings. It is unknown how genetic regulation and partial shadowing regulate leaf color. (2) Methods: Four 28-day shading treatments were used for 'Duojiao' crabapple and its maternal 'Xifu' crabapple. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), overexpression transgenic validation experiments, and physiological index analysis were employed to identify the expression levels of significant candidate genes. (3) Results: Improvements in chlorophyll synthesis, mineral metabolism, and antioxidant status were observed. The net photosynthetic rate was 39.29% higher under double-layer shade than in the control. (4) Conclusions: Partial double-layer shading exhibited the optimal effect. MsCPOX was the key gene controlling leaf color. Our results provide a theoretical basis for analyzing light responses and determining genes regulating leaf color in crabapple.
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