The state of photosystem II reaction centres adjusts the rate of non-photochemical quenching

Abstract

Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) in plants is thought to occur at a fixed quenching rate, and altering NPQ induction or relaxation is a common strategy for improving photosynthetic efficiency and crop yield. This study shows that in Arabidopsis thaliana the NPQ quenching rate is approximately 35% lower in the presence of the photosynthetic reactions than in their absence.