Articles
ASSESSMENT OF TROPOSPHERIC OZONE IMPACT ON CROPS IN CRETE (GREECE) USING SNAP BEAN AS BIOINDICATOR
Article number
938_52
Pages
401 – 407
Language
English
Abstract
Ground-level ozone (O3) damages plants by causing visible injury and reductions in plant growth and productivity.
In this study, the sensitive and tolerant genotype model (S156/R123) of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was used in Crete (Greece) for assessing tropospheric O3 impact on crops.
Plants were grown at a field site (latitude 35°20N, longitude 25°08E, 10 m.a.s.l.) situated in the suburbs of Heraklion, using a standardised protocol developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Damaged leaves, scored at more than 25% O3 injury at the end of the season, reached a level of 57.1% for the sensitive genotypes and 14.7% for the tolerant ones.
No differences were found between the two genotypes on abaxial surface stomatal conductance and on the number of mature pods.
However, there was a significant (P<0.001) decline in S156/R123 biomass ratio, with biomass being reduced by 30% more for S156 than R123. The antioxidants detected in this work serve important signaling functions in the course of the oxidative stress response to O3. Early in the 4th week after plantation, lipid peroxidation levels were lower in the resistant to O3 genotype, as compared to the sensitive one.
On the contrary, although proline content significantly increased in both genotypes, the increase was much higher in the tolerant one.
Total phenolics were also significantly higher in the tolerant genotype, later in the 8th week after plantation.
The levels of O3 measured in Crete and the impacts observed during experimentation indicate that O3 pollution may already have detrimental effects on sensitive horticultural crops grown across the island and across the rest of Greece.
Further investigations are necessary to determine the extent and the severity of these effects.
In this study, the sensitive and tolerant genotype model (S156/R123) of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was used in Crete (Greece) for assessing tropospheric O3 impact on crops.
Plants were grown at a field site (latitude 35°20N, longitude 25°08E, 10 m.a.s.l.) situated in the suburbs of Heraklion, using a standardised protocol developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Damaged leaves, scored at more than 25% O3 injury at the end of the season, reached a level of 57.1% for the sensitive genotypes and 14.7% for the tolerant ones.
No differences were found between the two genotypes on abaxial surface stomatal conductance and on the number of mature pods.
However, there was a significant (P<0.001) decline in S156/R123 biomass ratio, with biomass being reduced by 30% more for S156 than R123. The antioxidants detected in this work serve important signaling functions in the course of the oxidative stress response to O3. Early in the 4th week after plantation, lipid peroxidation levels were lower in the resistant to O3 genotype, as compared to the sensitive one.
On the contrary, although proline content significantly increased in both genotypes, the increase was much higher in the tolerant one.
Total phenolics were also significantly higher in the tolerant genotype, later in the 8th week after plantation.
The levels of O3 measured in Crete and the impacts observed during experimentation indicate that O3 pollution may already have detrimental effects on sensitive horticultural crops grown across the island and across the rest of Greece.
Further investigations are necessary to determine the extent and the severity of these effects.
Authors
E. Goumenaki, Z. Karidis, K.A. Paschalidis
Keywords
climate change, ozone risk assessement, Phaseolus vulgaris, proline, antioxidant capacity, phenolics, lipid peroxidation
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