@ARTICLE{Kalaji_Hazem_M._Photosynthetic_2025,
 author={Kalaji, Hazem M. and Dąbrowski, Piotr and Nowakowska, Justyna and Kiełtyk, Piotr and Wróbel, Jacek and Linkiewicz, Anna M.},
 number={No 67},
 pages={240-252},
 journal={Journal of Water and Land Development},
 howpublished={online},
 year={2025},
 publisher={Polish Academy of Sciences; Institute of Technology and Life Sciences - National Research Institute},
 abstract={Abiotic stress can cause long-term disruptions in the function of the photosynthetic apparatus, while also modulating the expression of defence-related genes like dehydrin 1 (dhn1) and heat shock protein 70 (hsp70). This study assessed the effects of prolonged drought, flooding, salinity, heavy metals, heat, low temperatures, and frost on photosynthetic efficiency in maize by combining chlorophyll fluorescence analysis with the dhn1 and hsp70 expression. All stress conditions resulted in significant reductions in photosynthetic performance, particularly in the maximum quantum yield for primary photochemistry (FV/FM), total complementary area between the fluorescence induction curve (Area) and time to reach the maximal fluorescence (tFM), indicating impairment of photosystem II (PSII). The stress and time-dependent variability in chlorophyll fluorescence parameters underscores their value as biomarkers of photosynthetic stress. The high sensitivity of performance index for energy conservation from photons absorbed by PSII until the reduction of intersystem electron acceptors (PIABS) and total performance index for energy conservation from photons absorbed by PSII until the reduction of photosystem I terminal electron acceptors (PItotal) confirms their relevance in eco-functional assessments. Gene expression analysis revealed downregulation of dhn1 under drought, flood, and salinity, while hsp70 remained stable, suggesting either stress exhaustion or activation of alternative protective mechanisms. The transient nature of dhn1 expression may reflect an early and short-lived response to stress. This study underscores the value of integrating chlorophyll fluorescence with gene expression analysis to elucidate crop physiological and molecular responses to prolonged abiotic stress, providing essential insights for safeguarding photosynthesis and improving maize stress tolerance.},
 type={Article},
 title={Photosynthetic efficiency and gene expression responses of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings to diverse abiotic stresses},
 URL={http://czasopisma.pan.pl/Content/137932/PDF/2025-04-JWLD-23.pdf},
 doi={10.24425/jwld.2025.156056},
 keywords={abiotic stresses, bioindicator, chlorophyll a fluorescence, dehydrin 1 (dhn1), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), long-term stress response, non-invasive biomarkers, relative gene expression},
}