Metabolic effects of sulfur dioxide fumigation on Mangifera indica plants

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 1999-12, Vol.63 (6), p.774-781
• Main Authors: Farooq, M, Hans, R.K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - toxicity; air pollution; Biological and medical sciences; Fruit - drug effects; Fruit - metabolism; Fumigation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; India; Mangifera indica; Non agrochemicals pollutants; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant Diseases - chemically induced; Plant Leaves - drug effects; Plant Leaves - growth & development; pollutants; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; Sulfur; Sulfur - metabolism; Sulfur dioxide; Sulfur Dioxide - toxicity
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s001289901046

Plants of Mangifera indica, which is an important fruit crop in India, were fumigated with sulfur dioxide, and mild and severe injury was assessed, along with SO sub(2) sorption and metabolic alterations. The exposures consisted of 0, 0.8, 2.5, 6.5, and 8.0 ppm SO sub(2) for 4 h in a continuous gas flow exposure chamber. Necrosis was observed in plants exposed to 2.5 ppm SO sub(2), while at 6.5 ppm, almost all of the upper leaves turned brown and desiccated. At the highest SO sub(2) concentration, chlorotic symptoms developed immediately. Protein content in the plants increased with increasing SO sub(2) concentration, but amino acid content was not altered significantly except at the highest exposure concentration. The contents of starch, total free sugar, and reducing sugar were significantly higher in the exposed plants, and the content of phenolics increased with increasing exposure concentration. Significant inhibition in acid phosphatase and activation of peroxidase were noted in the exposed plants.