Action of ozone on foliar gas exchange in Glycine max L. Merr: a potential role for endogenous stress ethylene

• Published in: The New phytologist 1988-11, Vol.110 (3), p.301-307
• Main Authors: TAYLOR, GEORGE E., ROSS‐TODD, B. MONTY, GUNDERSON, CARLA A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; CO2 assimilation; Endogenous growth regulators; ethylene; etileno; feuille; Foliar gas exchange; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycine max; hojas; Hydroponics; leaves; Ozone; ozono; Physiology; Plant growth regulators; Plant physiology; Plants; Plants and fungi; respiracion; respiration; Seedlings; Stomatal conductance; stomatal physiology; stress; stress ethylene; Sustainable agriculture
• ISSN: 0028-646X; 1469-8137
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1988.tb00266.x

A rapid surge in the foliar production of ethylene (C2H4), a growth regulator, is a well documented phonomenon in plants experiencing a variety of environmental stresses. The physiological significance of this stress-induced C2H4is not resolved. Because exogenous C2H4can induce changes in foliar gas exchange in a variety of plant species, we tested the hypothesis that the endogenous production of stress C2H4due to the representative environmental stress of ozone (O3) is linked to observed changes in stomatal conductance to water vapour (gsH 2O) and carbon dioxide assimilation (A) in Glycine max (L.) Merr. This objective was accomplished using seedlings in hydroponic culture which were administered aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), a metabolic inhibitor of stress C2H4synthesis, and subsequently challenged with O3. The responsiveness to O3stress of gs,H2Oand A was either substantially diminished (A) or eliminated (gs,H2O) when stress C2H4production in the leaf interior was metabolically inhibited by AVG. These data support the hypothesis that the rapid surge in production of stress C2H4in response to chronic-level stresses in general and O3specifically is not simply an indicator of the plant's physiological activity but rather is a chemical messenger or trigger that subsequently mediates some of the notable changes in carbon gain, stomatal physiology, and water use.