Sulphate and Antioxidants in Needles of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) from Three SO2-Polluted Field Sites in Eastern Germany

• Published in: The New phytologist 1994-07, Vol.127 (3), p.571-577
• Main Authors: Polle, Andrea, Eiblmeier, Monika, Rennenberg, Heinz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Apoplastic space; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Contaminated sites; Detergents; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi; Environmental pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Leaves; Non agrochemicals pollutants; peroxidase; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Pine trees; Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine); Plants; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; Sulfur; superoxide dismutase; Superoxides; Thiols; Washing
• ISSN: 0028-646X; 1469-8137
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1994.tb03976.x

Needles from young and mature Scots pine trees (Pinus sylvestris) were collected at three field sites in eastern Germany, i.e. Menz, Taura, and Gossa, which differed in SO2pollution. Current and previous year's needles from the polluted sites Taura and Gossa (yearly mean of SO2: 26 ppb) contained approximately 100-120 μmol sulphate g-1d. wt, whereas needles from the unpolluted site, Menz (yearly mean of SO2: 3 ppb) contained 30-65 μmol sulphate g-1d. wt. The apoplastic sulphate content was in the order of 0.3-1% of total sulphate and corresponded to concentrations of 0.6-1.2 mM in needles from Menz and to 1.5-2 mM in needles from Gossa. In needles from the polluted sites the contents of glutathione, cysteine, γ-glutamylcysteine, and soluble protein were higher than in needles from Menz. Despite the clear increases in sulphur-containing compounds, pigment content and activities of superoxide dismutase, total peroxidase and apoplastic peroxidase (on the basis of d. wt) were not significantly different. When enzymatic activities were related to protein, lowest activities were found in needles from the site with the highest SO2-pollution. The results show that it is not possible to use the activities of peroxidases or superoxide dismutases as biomarkers for SO2-mediated stress in pine needles. It remains open whether the needles from the polluted sites suffered from greater oxidative stress than the needles from the less polluted site.