Ethylene, ethane, acetaldehyde, and ethanol production by plants under stress

Journal Article · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1981 · Plant Physiol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.69.4.840· OSTI ID:6962979

Kimmerer, T W; Kozlowski, T T

Red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) seedlings exposed to sulfur dioxide produced acetaldehyde and ethanol, and exhibited increased production of ethylene and ethane. Gas chromatographic measurement of head space gas from incubation tubes containing leaves or seedlings was a simple method of simultaneously measuring all four compounds. Increased ethylene production had two phases, a moderate increase from the beginning of the stress period and a large increase just prior to appearance of leaf lesions. Ethane production in SO/sub 2/-stressed plants did not increase until lesions appeared. Acetaldehyde and ethanol production began within 6 hours at 0.3 microliter per liter SO/sub 2/ and 24 hours at 0.1 microliter per liter SO/sub 2/ and continued throughout a 6-day fumigation. Production of acetaldehyde and ethanol continued when plants were removed to clean air for up to 2 days. A higher concentration of SO/sub 2/ (0.5 microliter per liter) induced acetaldehyde and ethanol production within 2 hours of the start of fumigation of birch and pine seedlings. A number of other stresses, including water deficit, freezing, and ozone exposure induced production of acetaldehyde and ethanol. Production of these compounds was not due to hypoxia, as the O/sub 2/ partial pressure in the incubation vessels did not decline. Increasing the O/sub 2/ to 300 millimeters Hg did not affect production of these compounds. Production of ehtylkene, acetaldehyde, and ethanol declined when more than 80% of the leaf area became necrotic, while ethane production was linearly related to the percentage of necrosis. A number of woody and herbaceous plant species produced acetaldehyde and ethanol in response to freezing stress, while others did not. Measurement of these four compounds simultaneously in the gas phase may be a valuable method for monitoring plant stress, particularly air pollution stress. 17 references, 6 figures, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
• OSTI ID: 6962979
• Journal Information: Plant Physiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Plant Physiol.; (United States) Vol. 69; ISSN PLPHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACETALDEHYDE
AIR POLLUTION
ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
ALKANES
ALKENES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BIRCHES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONIFERS
ETHANE
ETHANOL
ETHYLENE
FREEZING
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PINES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SEEDLINGS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SYNTHESIS
TREES