Response of gas-exchange characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence to acute sulfur dioxide exposure in landscape plants.

To explore the toxicity and action mechanism of acute sulfur dioxide (SO2) on urban landscape plants, a simulated SO2 stress environment by using fumigation chamber involving increasing SO2 concentration (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 mg m-3) was carried out among three species. After 72 h of exposure, SO2-induced oxidative damage indicated by electrolyte leakage increased with higher dose of SO2. Meanwhile, SO2 decreased the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid and increased the contents of sulfur. Net photosynthetic rate (Pn) decreased as a result of stomatal closure when SO2 dose was lower than 50 mg m-3, out of this range, non-stomatal limitation play a dominant role in the decline of Pn. Simultaneous measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence imaging (CFI) also revealed that the maximal quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry in dark-adapted state (Fv/Fm) and the realized operating efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fq'/Fm') was reduced by SO2 in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry in light-adapted state (Fv'/Fm') and the PSII efficiency factor (Fq'/Fv') decreased when exposure to SO2. These results implied that acute SO2 exposure induced photoinhibition of PSII reaction centers in landscape plants. Our study also indicated that different urban landscape plant species resist differently to SO2: Euonymus kiautschovicus > Ligustrum vicaryi > Syringa oblata according to gas-exchange characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence responses.

The defense potential of glutathione-ascorbate dependent detoxification pathway to sulfur dioxide exposure in Tagetes erecta.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure is associated with increased risk of various damages to plants. However, little is known about the defense response in ornamental plants. In this study, an artificial fumigation protocol was carried out to study the defense potential of the glutathione (GSH)-ascorbate (AsA) dependent detoxification pathway to SO2 exposure in Tagetes erecta. The results show that when the plants were exposed to different doses of SO2 (0, 15, 30, 50 or 80 mg m(-3)) for different times (6, 12, 18, 24 or 33 h), SO2 induced oxidative stress was confirmed by the increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA) and relative conductivity of membrane (RC) in a dose-dependent manner for different exposure times. However, the increased levels for H2O2, MDA and RC were not significant vis-a-vis the control when SO2 doses and exposure times were lower than 15 mg m(-3)/33 h, 30 mg m(-3)/24 h or 50 mg m(-3)/12 h (p>0.05). The results could be explained by the increases in the content of reduced form of glutathione (GSH), total glutathione (TGSH), ascorbate (AsA), ratio of GSH/GSSG (oxidized form of glutathione), activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferases (GST). On the other hand, exposure to higher doses of SO2 and longer exposure times, the values of the GSH-AsA dependent antioxidative indices decreased significantly (p<0.01), manifested by increased levels of H2O2. Furthermore, the levels of H2O2, MDA and RC varied little when SO2 doses and exposure times reached a 'critical' value (50 mg m(-3)/24 h). The defense ability of T. erecta to SO2 reached nearly extremity. To summarize, the response of T. erecta to elevated SO2 was related to higher H2O2 levels. GSH-AsA dependent detoxification pathway played an important role in against SO2-induced toxicity, although the defense response could not sufficiently alleviate oxidative damage when SO2 doses and exposure times reached critical value.

[Effects of root zone hypoxia on respiratory metabolism of cucumber seedlings roots].

With the seedlings of Lübachun No. 4, a hypoxia-resistant cultivar, and Zhongnong No. 8, a hypoxia-sensitive cultivar, as test materials, and by the method of solution culture, this paper studied the effects of root zone hypoxia on their roots' respiratory metabolism. The results showed that root zone hypoxia inhibited the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle significantly, But accelerated the anaerobic respiration of cucumber roots. Under root zone hypoxia stress, the decrement of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) and isocitric dehydrogenase (IDH) activities and the increment of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and lactate and pyruvate contents were lesser in Lübachun No. 4 than in Zhongnong No. 8 seedlings roots, but conversely, the increment of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activities and alcohol and alanine contents in Lübachun No. 4 seedlings roots were higher than those in Zhongnong No. 8 seedlings roots. On the 8th day of hypoxia stress, the ADH activity and alcohol and alanine contents increased by 409.30%, 112.13% and 30.64% in Lübachun No. 4 roots and by 110.42%, 31.84% and 4.78% in Zhongnong No. 8 roots, respectively, compared with the control. No significant differences in the alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) activity and acetaldehyde content were observed between the two cultivars. It was concluded that the acceleration of alcohol fermentation and the accumulation of alanine were in favor of the enhancement of root zone hypoxia tolerance of cucumber roots.

[Effects of salt stress on cucumber seedlings root growth and polyamine metabolism].

By the method of water culture, this paper studied the effects of NaCl stress on the seedlings root growth and polyamine metabolism of two cucumber cultivars 'Changchun mici' and 'Jin-chun No. 2'. The results showed that under NaCl stress, root growth was inhibited, and lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage increased. These changes were more obvious in salt-sensitive 'Jin-chun No. 2' than in salt-tolerant 'Changchun mici'. NaCl stress caused an increase of arginine decarboxylase (ADC), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) activities in cucumber roots, which was much greater in 'Changchun mici' than in 'Jinchun No. 2'. At the highest value, ADC, ODC and SAMDC activities increased by 149.3%, 60.1% and 69.4% in 'Changchun mici' and 118.6%, 56.2% and 50.6% in 'Jinchun No. 2', respectively, in comparison with the control. Diamine oxidase activity increased in 'Changchun mici' but not in 'Jinchun No. 2', and the increment of polyamine oxidase activity in 'Changchun mici' was smaller than that in 'Jinchun No. 2'. As a result, the contents of free spermidine and spermine and of conjugated and bound polyamines in 'Changchun mici' increased significantly, while that of free putrescine had a significant increase in 'Jinchun No. 2'. It could be concluded that higher levels of free spermidine and spermine and of conjugated and bound polyamines and lower level of free putrescine in roots could improve the adaptability of cucumber seedlings to salt stress.

Exogenous spermidine affects polyamine metabolism in salinity-stressed Cucumis sativus roots and enhances short-term salinity tolerance.

We investigated the effects of short-term salinity stress and spermidine application to salinized nutrient solution on polyamine metabolism and various stress defense reactions in the roots of two cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivars, Changchun mici and Jinchun No. 2. Seedlings grown in nutrient solution salinized with 50mM NaCl for 8d displayed reduced relative water content, net photosynthetic rates and plant growth, together with increased lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage in the roots. These changes were more marked in cv. Jinchun No. 2 than in cv. Changchun mici, confirming that the latter cultivar is more salinity-tolerant than the former. Salinity stress caused an increase in superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production, particularly in cv. Jinchun No. 2 roots, while the salinity-induced increase in antioxidant enzyme activities and proline contents in the roots was much larger in cv. Changchun mici than in cv. Jinchun No. 2. In comparison to cv. Jinchun No. 2, cv. Changchun mici showed a marked increase in arginine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and diamine oxidase activities, as well as free spermidine and spermine, soluble conjugated and insoluble bound putrescine, spermidine and spermine contents in the roots during exposure to salinity. On the other hand, spermidine application to salinized nutrient solution resulted in alleviation of the salinity-induced membrane damage in the roots and plant growth and photosynthesis inhibition, together with an increase in polyamine and proline contents and antioxidant enzyme activities in the roots of cv. Jinchun No. 2 but not of cv. Changchun mici. These results suggest that spermidine confers short-term salinity tolerance on cucumber probably through inducing antioxidant enzymes and osmoticants.

[Effects of 24-epibrassinolide on antioxidant system and anaerobic respiratory enzyme activities in cucumber roots under hypoxia stress].

Seedlings of a hypoxia-resistant cultivar, Lübachun No.4, and a hypoxia-sensitive cultivar, Zhongnong No.8, were applied by feeding roots. The effects of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) on lipid peroxidation, activities of major antioxidant enzymes and anaerobic respiratory enzymes and their time courses were investigated in cucumber seedling roots under hypoxia stress. Root growth was significantly inhibited under hypoxia stress, which was improved by exogenous EBR application (Figs.1,2). O(-*)(2) and H(2)O(2) level and lipid peroxidation were significantly increased in the roots upon exposure to hypoxia stress, which were inhibited by exogenous EBR application (Fig.3). EBR treatment increased SOD and POD activities under hypoxia stress (Fig.4). Hypoxia enhanced the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) whereas EBR treatment significantly increased ADH activity, but decreased LDH activity (Fig.5). There was no significant difference in CAT and PDC activities between the hypoxia stress treatment and "hypoxia+EBR" treatment (Fig.4,5). From the results obtained in this work it can be concluded that oxidative damage on seedling roots by hypoxia stress can be considerably alleviated, and alcohol fermentation can be enhanced by EBR treatment.