Ozone-induced increase in bean leaf maintenance respiration

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6578535

Amthor, J S

Rates of respiration by unifoliate leaves of pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants, exposed to low levels of ozone, were partitioned into growth and maintenance components using a popular model of plant respiration. The mode can be written as R/W = G/sub R/(dW/dt)/W + m, where R/W is the leaf specific respiration rate, (dW/dt)/W is the leaf specific growth rate, G/sub R/ is the growth coefficient, and m is the maintenance coefficient. In controlled environment growth chamber experiments, plants were treated with one of two levels of ozone: 90 parts per billion (p.p.b., i.e., nl liter/sup -1/), for 6 h d/sup -1/ (+ ozone), or less than 15 p.p.b. (-ozone). The growth coefficient was not affected by ozone. The maintenance coefficient, however, was 10-15% larger in leaves of plants from the + ozone treatment, compared to the-ozone treatment. This difference in the maintenance coefficient was statistically significant. Open-top field chamber experiments were also conducted. As in the growth chamber experiments, ozone dose did not affect the growth coefficient, but increases in ozone resulted in significant increases in the maintenance coefficient. The results of these experiments suggest that one reason ozone inhibits plant growth and productivity is that maintenance respiration increases, probably in order to repair injury.

• Research Organization: Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6578535
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BACTERIA
EXPOSURE CHAMBERS
GROWTH
LEAVES
LEGUMINOSAE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MICROORGANISMS
OZONE
PHASEOLUS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
RESPIRATION
RHIZOBIUM
TOXICITY