heat stress; xanthophyll cycle; deepoxidation; photoprotection

We focused on elucidating the impact of elevated temperature on rapid induction of zeaxanthin (Z)dependent photoprotection in two different plant species. The dynamics of violaxanthin (V) de-epoxidation under different illumination regimes was studied together with chlorophyll a fluorescence transients in Picea abies seedlings and Arabidopsis thaliana leaves pre-acclimated to temperatures ranging from 20 to 40°C. Whereas for spruce seedlings the rapid phase of V de-epoxidation (induced by either 10 s illumination or 10 light pulses 1 s in duration at 1 min intervals) was gradually stimulated upon increasing temperatures, for A. thaliana leaves considerable acceleration of V de-epoxidation occurred only at 40°C. Moreover, only for spruce seedlings was a considerable amount of Z accumulated after 10 × 1 s illumination.