The change of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, O-J-I-P transients and psbA gene expression were investigated in the leaves of Crinum asiaticum var. japonicum on the natural condition in winter, in order to elucidate physiological responses of photosystem Ⅱ (PSⅡ) activity to winter stresses. The photochemical efficiencies of PSⅡ, Fv/Fm, were significantly low in winter, contrary to its high value in summer. The values of 1-qN and 1-qP were lower in midday than at dawn or night both in summer and winter, although their decrease in midday was less in winter than in summer. In the O-J-I-P transients, the fluorescence intensity of J, I, P-step decreased remarkably depending on temperature drop in winter. And the D1 reaction center protein of PSⅡ decreased in late winter more than in early winter, concomitantly with relatively high content of description products of psbA gene in midday. These results indicate that low temperature in winter causes irreversible damage to PSⅡ and subsequently leads to cell death.

Proline is known as an osmotrotectant to enhance tolerance against both salt and dehydration stresses. A P5CS (δ1 -pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase) plays a major role in regulation of synthesis of proline. An overexpression of the mothbean P5CS gene in transgenic tobacco plant increased the levels of proline and osmotolerance. In an attempt to look for the possibility to use content of proline as well as a level of P5CS gene expression as molecular markers for salt tolerance, the amounts of proline and transcript levels of P5CS were measured as functions of either concentration of NaCl or length of treatment period among different species of zoysiagrass. Hybridzoysia showed the highest level of proline (329~mu~textrmg /g.f.w.) among five different species of zoysiagrass at 250 mM NaCl in 24 hours. The level of P5CS transcript was also the highest in the hybridzoysia at 250 mM NaCl in 24 hours. The transcriptions of P5CS gene were induced at the rates of 1.2, 1.2, 1.8, and 1.8, upon treatment of 250 mM NaCl in Z. japonica, Z. matrella, Z. sinica and hybridzoysia respectively. Based on a correlation between the level of P5CS transcript and the proline content among different species of zoysiagrass, a comparative structural analysis of the gene for P5CS from either Z. sinica or hybridzoysia may lead to an understanding of mechanism for salt tolerance shown differently among zoysiagrasses.