Recovery of loss in chlorophyll and 2,6‐dichlorophenol indophenol Hill reaction of isolated chloroplasts during dark induced aging of intact maize seedlings

Loss in the content of pigments and decline in the efficiency of thylakoid membranes to reduce 2,6‐dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP) have been investigated during dark induced senescence of attached leaves of maize seedlings. The chlorophyll degradation during senescence is differentially inhibited by indoleacetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA) and kinetin. IAA and GA behave as mild senescence inhibitors in comparison to kinetin. However, in comparison to light, kinetin is relatively less efficient in counteracting senescence. Dark‐induced loss in chlorophyll content is fully recovered by light when the dark incubation period is relatively short. The pattern of light recovery of loss in photoelectron transport during dark‐aging is similar to the recovery kinetics of chlorophyll. Continuous kinetin treatment of dark‐incubated seedlings inhibits the chlorophyll degradation but with decreased duration of kinetin treatment, the efficiency of the hormone to inhibit chlorophyll loss is reduced. The kinetin‐induced inhibition of pigment loss is small in comparison with the effect of light.