Responses of carboxylating enzymes, sucrose metabolizing enzymes and plant hormones in a tropical epiphytic CAM orchid to CO₂ enrichment

After exposure to a doubled CO 2 concentration of 750 µL L −1 for 2 months, average relative growth rate (RGR) of Mokara Yellow increased 25%. The two carboxylating enzymes, ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCase), responded differently to CO 2 enrichment. There was a significant daytime down‐regulation in Rubisco activity in the leaves of CO 2 ‐enriched plants. However, PEPCase activity in CO 2 ‐enriched plants was much higher in the dark period, although it was slightly lower during the daytime than that at ambient CO 2 . Leaf sucrose–phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS) activities in CO 2 ‐enriched plants increased markedly, along with a night‐time increase in total titratable acidity and malate accumulation. There was a remarkable increase in the levels of indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA), gibberellins A 1 and A 3 (GA 1+3 ), isopentenyladenosine (iPA) and zeatin riboside (ZR) in the expanding leaves of plants grown at elevated CO 2 . It is suggested that (1) the down‐regulation of Rubisco and up‐regulation of SPS and SS are two important acclimation processes that are beneficial because it enhanced both photosynthetic capacity at high CO 2 and reduced resource investment in excessive Rubisco capacity; (2) the increased levels of plant hormones in CO 2 ‐enriched M . Yellow might play an important role in controlling its growth and development.