Response of photosystem II performance and antioxidant enzyme activities in stay-green wheat to cytokinin

WN6 (a stay-green wheat cultivar) and JM20 (control) were used to evaluate the effects of exogenous cytokinin on photosynthetic capacity and antioxidant enzymes activities in flag leaves. Results showed that WN6 reached the higher grain mass, which was mainly due to the higher photosynthetic rate resulting from the higher maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (Φ PSII ) and probability that a trapped exaction transfers an electron into the electron transport chain beyond QA (Ψ o ), and lower relative variable fluorescence intensity at the J-step (Vj). Exogenous 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) enhanced antioxidant enzymes activities and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Enhanced Ψo and electron transport rate (ETR), and decreased Vj contributed to improved photosynthetic rate in the 6-BA treatment. In addition, exogenous 6-BA significantly increased endogenous zeatin (Zt) content, which was significantly and positively correlated with the antioxidant enzyme activity and Φ PSII , implying that higher Zt content was responsible for the improved antioxidant status and photosynthetic performance.