Impact of ozone on the photosynthetic and metabolic properties of Zea mays

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Date
2003-11
Authors
Van Huyssteen, Susanna Maria
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University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The impact of elevated ozone concentrations on plants has important global implications for the environment and especially for crop production. The fact that ozone can cause serious damage to crop production served as motivation for the research done during this study. One of South Africa’s most common agricultural crops, Zea mays, was chosen as test organism. The aim was to get a better understanding of the effect of ozone on maize. During this study we investigated the photosynthetic and metabolic responses of Zea mays after it had been exposed to moderate concentrations of ozone. The plants were grown in a green house until they reached the two-leave stage. Thereafter they were placed in a controlled environment growth chamber, where they were fumigated with ozone at 150ppb. After fumigation, leaves of the exposed plants were dark adapted for 15 minutes, before chlorophyll fluorescence measurement were made. Ozone fumigation resulted in an increase in the FO, compared to the control. Noticeable was also the lower FM values of fumigated plants. The photochemical quenching of the fumigated plants was significantly lower than the controls, while the opposite was seen for non-photochemical quenching. Several fluorescence indicators and quenching parameters were used to determine the photosynthesis potential following ozone exposure. We could also evaluate the quantum yield of PS II, which gives an estimate of the rate of linear electron transport. The effect of ozone fumigation on PR proteins (β-1, 3-glucanase and chitinase), phenolic acid composition and the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations were also measured. H2O2 production was induced following the ozone exposure. The increase in H2O2 corresponded with the increases in β-1, 3-glucanase and chitinase activity and we concluded that if corresponded to an activation of the defence genes. Down-stream defence responses continued after exposure, with the synthesis of phenolic compounds, as indicated by increased phenolic acid concentrations. This was seen as a manifestation of the hyper sensitive response of Zea mays, which forms part of this crop’s defence response against ozone. We also conclude that ozone is a major stressor that could influence crop yields significantly.
Afrikaans: Die impak van verhoogde osoonkonsentrasies op plante, het verrykende gevolge vir die omgewing en spesifiek vir die produksie van landbougewasse. Die feit dat osoon, gewas produksie ernstig kan benadeel, het gedien as motivering vir hierdie studie. Een van Suid-Afrika se mees algemene verboude gewasse, Zea mays, is gekies as proefplant. Die doel was om ‘n beter insig te bekom vir die interaksie en die invloed van osoon op Zea mays. Gedurende die studie het ons ondersoek ingestel na die fotosintese en metaboliese reaksies van Zea mays, nadat dit aan osoon blootgestel is. Eksperimentele plante is in ‘n glashuis gekweek tot die tweeblaar-stadium bereik is. Daarna is hulle uit die glashuis verwyder en in groeikabinette, onder beheerde toestande, geplaas. In die groeikabinette is osoon teen 150 dele per biljoen toegedien. Na blootstelling aan osoon, is die blare vir 15 minute lank donkeraangepas, voordat chlorofilfluoressensie bepalings gedoen is. Blootstelling aan osoon het gelei tot ‘n toename in die FO-waarde, in vergelyking met die kontrole. Daar was ook ‘n aansienlike afname in die FM-waarde van die blootgestelde plante. Die foto-chemiese blusing van die osoonblootgestelde plante was aansienlik laer as die van die kontrole plante, terwyl die teenoorgestelde vir die nie-photochemiese blussing waardes gesien is. Verskeie fluoresenssie-intensiteit indikatore en blussingparameters is gedurende die studie gebruik om die invloed van osoon op fotosintese na te gaan. Dit het ingesluit die bepaling van die kwantumopbrengste van PS II. Die effek van osoon op die patogeenverwante proteine, (β-1,3-glukanase en kitinase), fenolsuur samestelling en waterstof peroksied (H2O2) konsentrasie, is ook bepaal. H2O2 produksie is geinduseer na osoonblootstelling. Die toename in H2O2 stem ooreen met die toename in aktiwiteit van β-1,3-glukanase en kitinase, en ons kon aflei dat dit was a.g.v aktivering van verdedigingsgene. Stroom-af verdedigingsreaksies is bepaal met die sintese van die fenoliese verbindigs soos aangedui in die verhoging van konsentrasies van die onderskeie ure. Dit kan gesien word as ‘n manifestasie van die hipersensitiewe reaksie van Zea mays, en maak deel uit van die verdedigingsreaksie wat die gewas teen osoon toon. Ons kon dus die afleiding maak dat osoon ‘n belangrike stressor is, en dat dit gewas produksie baie kan beinvloed.
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Dissertation (M.Sc. (Plant Sciences))--University of the Free State, 2003, Corn -- South Africa -- Metabolism, Corn -- Effect of light on -- South Africa, Corn -- Effect of ozone on -- South Africa
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