The Effects of Short-Term UV-B Exposure on Rubus spectabilis

Most studies of UV exposure to plants have concentrated on the effects of long-term physiology. However, few studies in the literature have been conducted on observing the effects of short-term exposure of UV. The latter was addressed by using cultivars of Rubus spectabilis (Salmonberry) exposed to 15 second intervals up to 90 seconds total of UV exposure in a typical UV hood. Photosynthetic activity was then measured and compared to a control group. Of note, the maximum photosynthetic rate appeared to decrease by 19 percent despite the relatively short time of exposure. Photosynthesis did not decrease significantly with lower light levels