RESUMO
The growth and physiology of bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa were determined by the pulse amplitude modulated fluorimetry when exposed to different concentrations of Litchi chinensis defoliation extract for 15 d. The growth, maximal efficiency (Fv/Fm), effective quantum yield (YII) of PSII photochemistry, photosynthesis efficiency (α) , maximum electron transport rate (rETRmax) and light saturation coefficient (Ik) were used to evaluate the growth and photosynthesis in M. aeruginosa. It was found that the extract of L. chinensis defoliation stored for 5 days significantly inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa in a concentration-dependent way. After a long time of exposure, stimulation effect disappeared gradually. Fv/Fm fluorescence parameters, YII and alpha changed from negative correlation to positive correlation or kept positive correlation with the extract of L. chinensis defoliation, which might affect the photosynthesis of M. aeruginosa at early time or help the cyanobacterium to survive in the stress environment by improving the efficiency of light energy. Ik, rETRmax and the content of algal chlorophyll-a changed from negative to significant negative correlation with the extract. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectra showed that the peak intensities of tryptophan and tyrosine fluorescence were only about one third in 2.0 g · L(-1) extract treatment when compared to the 1.2 g · L(-1) extract treatment on day 15. At the same time, the peak intensity of humic acid fluorescence was weaker than that on day 1. Further study showed that the EC50 of algal growth was smaller than that of the traditional crops straw, which might achieve good effect to control the growth of algae with lower concentration of L. chinensis defoliation extract due to its strong allelopathy.