Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41772444›Full record

ArticleBMC plant biology2026

Variation of leaf photosynthetic traits is mostly driven by changes in source-sink relationship rather than irradiance in pear tree canopies.

Ningyi Zhang, Ziyi Yang, Elias Kaiser, Kaijie Qi, Chao Tang, Peng Wang, Oluwafemi James Caleb, Alemayehu Ambaw Tsige, Shutian Tao, Shaoling Zhang and 1 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BMC plant biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Ningyi Zhang *State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Breeding, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. ningyi.zhang@njau.edu.cn.
Ziyi Yang *State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Breeding, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Elias KaiserHorticulture and Product Physiology, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6708PB, The Netherlands.
Kaijie QiState Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Breeding, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Chao TangState Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Breeding, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Peng WangState Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Breeding, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Oluwafemi James CalebDepartment of Food Science, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
Alemayehu Ambaw TsigeFaculty of AgriSciences, Africa Institute for Postharvest Technology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Shutian TaoState Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Breeding, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Shaoling ZhangState Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Breeding, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
Juyou WuState Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Breeding, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. juyouwu@njau.edu.cn.

Funding

the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System grant no. CARS-28
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Understanding the variation of leaf photosynthetic traits and their regulation is essential for accurately predicting canopy photosynthesis and gross primary production of fruit trees and for modelling carbon balance in agroforestry systems. However, this is underexplored in fruit trees in which management practices strongly impact plant morphology and sink: source ratios. We conducted a field experiment in pear with three levels of fruit loads (0%, 10%, and 100%) on two cultivars (Cuiyu and Hosui) with a Y-trellis trained architecture. Irradiance, leaf photosynthesis, and several leaf physiological traits were measured at different canopy heights and developmental stages. Both cultivars exhibited a very shallow vertical gradient of leaf photosynthetic capacity (Amax), despite a significant irradiance gradient. Considering the canopy Amax profile only had a marginal impact on modelling canopy photosynthesis in Y-trellis trained pear trees. In both cultivars, Amax was affected by source-sink variations, albeit in opposite directions: as fruit load increased, Amax increased in Hosui but decreased in Cuiyu. Increases of Amax in Hosui were related to lower carbon accumulation in the leaf and higher stomatal conductance, whereas decreases of Amax in Cuiyu correlated with reductions in leaf nitrogen. We conclude that under the conditions of this study and in Y-trellis trained pear trees, leaf photosynthetic variation was more strongly associated with internal factors than with irradiance gradients, and that the regulation of Amax is cultivar dependent. Considering photosynthetic responses to source-sink variation might be more relevant than irradiance profiles for accurately modelling canopy photosynthesis in fruit trees.

Indexed as

PhotosynthesisPlant LeavesPyrusCarbonFruitLightNitrogenTreesCarbonNitrogenCanopy photosynthesis modelFruit thinningLight acclimationPhotosynthetic resource distributionPyrus pyrifolia

Identifiers

PMID41772444
PMCPMC13059160

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.