Dear sufia
Soil pH has important role in providing/ absorption nutrients to the plants. At normal pH (7.0 pH) roots of plants maximum nutrients and these have important role in chlorophyll synthesis in plants and tree. Regards
pH in soil could affect directly the nutrient absorption by the plant roots. For phosphate and nitrogen absorption the decrease in soil pH could enhance its absorption by the plant roots, that depends directly for the kind of soil and the plant that you are working with. Then, pH in soil has a direct effect in the chlorophyll biosynthesis, as well as in the systemic metabolism of the plant.
Regards
Hi Sufia,
At least two studies showed that soil pH significantly affect chlorophyll a and b contents (synthesis), and photosynthesis. See below:
(1) "Effects of soil acidity on Pinus resinosa seedlings photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence" [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20353055]
From Abstract: ......The seedlings had a significant photosynthetic inhibition under soil pH 7.5 and 8.0, and It was suggested that soil pH 5.5 was most appropriate for P. resinosa growth............
(2) "Chlorophyll fluorescence and needle chlorophyll concentration of Fir (Abies sp.) seedlings in response to pH." (see attached paper)
From Abstract:............Increasing media pH significantly reduced chlorophyll concentration in all species tested, and the effect of pH on photochemistry was due to depressed nutrient uptake of P, Mn, B and Cu...............
Soil pH is affect by many other matter , like soil texture or irrigation water....
So I will suggesr you establish a hydroponic systerm. Then watch the seedling growth in different pH condition. It will more easy to watch their symptom.
Most of our associates have provided good answers. However, the answer is a little more complex. The pH is nothing to do directly with the plant. It is indirect impact and consequence of pH that impacts the plant. The pH actually impacts the availability of the nutrients based on their existing quantitative presence. A pH of 6.7 or 6.8 is most ideal to facilitate the transaction by the plant of nutrients electrically bonded to soil particles. The expanding root system penetrates the soil. Surrounding the rootlet is a rhizosphere. A cross section of the rootlet and rhizosphere would remind you of the earth and it surrounding atmosphere. The Rhizosphere contains a mild electrical charge emitted by the plant that breaks the nutrients electrical bond with the soil particle. Once the bond is broken between the nutrient and the soil particle the plant is free to take up the nutrient into the rootlet. The greater the deviation from the preferred 6.7 -6.8 pH the more difficult it is for the mild electrical charge to break the bond. A few elements actually have a slightly lower preferred pH but the basic nutrients (N,P and K) are most available at the described pH. However, you overlook a more critical component of photosynthesis, water..
In addition to the levels of plant-available nutrients in soils, the soil pH plays an important role in nutrient availability and elemental toxicity which have important role in chlorophyll synthesis.
Vasile,
Rain pH impacts soil pH and thus nutrient availability. Rain pH is irrelevant to nutrient uptake. Only soil pH is important.
Sufia, Please, tell us what pH you are working with and what plants you are using. This information will allow us to be much more specific in answering you. Presently, most of the information we are providing is obtained in high school biology and certainly undergraduate Agronomy 101.
Root and above ground growth, which internally regulates plant metabolic processes in conjunction with the external environmental conditions including soil pH, nutrient availability, soil salinity, etc. will all affect chlorophyll production due to the availability and rationing of nutrients within the plant. Measuring the photosynthetic capacity of ideally similar plant replicates of the same developmental stage and chronological age under various controlled pH intervals but otherwise similar conditions would not only indirectly affect chlorophyll production due to nutrient availability alone, but also due to varying internal growth regulating signals caused by variations in overall ontogenetic responses by the plants to the range of different pH conditions and thus also varying nutrient availability.
This is only my hypothesis, so don't take my word for it. Basically pH will have an overall indirect effect (As far as I know/think). So measuring photosynthetic capacity would only give an indication of the overall plant nutrient status, which could rather be measured directly together with morphological variations between treatments...
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