Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Physiological characteristics of Plantago major under SO2 exposure as affected by foliar iron spray

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is considered as a main air pollutant in industrialized areas that can damage vegetation. In the present study, we investigated how exposure to SO2 and foliar application of iron (Fe) would affect certain physiological characteristics of Plantago major. The plant seedlings exposed or unexposed to SO2 (3900 μg m−3) were non-supplemented or supplemented with Fe (3 g L−1) as foliar spray. Plants were exposed to SO2 for 6 weeks in 100 × 70 × 70 cm chambers. Fumigation of plants with SO2 was performed for 3 h daily for 3 days per week (alternate day). Lower leaf Fe concentration in the plants exposed to SO2 at no added Fe treatment was accompanied with incidence of chlorosis symptoms and reduced chlorophyll concentration. No visible chlorotic symptoms were observed on the SO2-exposed plants supplied with Fe that accumulated higher Fe in their leaves. Both at with and without added Fe treatments, catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activity was higher in the plants fumigated with SO2 in comparison with those non-fumigated with SO2. Foliar application of Fe was also effective in increasing activity of antioxidant enzymes CAT and POD. Exposure to SO2 led to reduced cellulose but enhanced lignin content of plant leaf cell wall. The results obtained showed that foliar application of Fe was effective in reducing the effects of exposure to SO2 on cell wall composition. In contrast to SO2, application of Fe increased cellulose while decreased lignin content of the leaf cell wall. This might be due to reduced oxidative stress induced by SO2 in plants supplied with Fe compared with those unsupplied with Fe.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agrawal M, Verma M (1997) Amelioration of sulfur dioxide phytotoxicity in wheat cultivars by modifying NPK nutrients. J Environ Manag 49:231–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allison LE, Moodie CD (1965) Carbonate. In: Black CA et al (ed) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2, Monograph No 9, Am Soc Agron, Madison, pp 1379–1396

  • Arnon AN (1967) Method of extraction of chlorophyll in the plants. Agron J 23:112–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Baier M, Kandlbinder A, Golldack D, Dietz KJ (2005) Oxidative stress and ozone: perception, signaling and response. Plant Cell Environ 28(8):1012–1020

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Becana M, Moran JF, Iturbe-Ormaetxe I (1998) Iron dependent oxygen free radical generation in plants subjected to environment stress: toxicity and antioxidant protection. Plant Soil 201:137–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bignal KL, Ashmore MR, Headley AD (2008) Effects of air pollution from road transport on growth and physiology of six transplanted bryophyte species. Environ Pollut 156:332–340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blakrishman K (2000) Peroxidase activity as an indicator of the iron deficiency banana. Indian J Plant Phys 5:389–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouyoucos CJ (1962) Hydrometer method improved for making particle-size analysis of soils. Agron J 54:464–465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-day binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Britton C, Mehley AC (1955) Assay of catalase and peroxidase. In: Colowick SP, Kaplan NO (eds) Methods in Enzymology, vol II. Academic Press, New York, pp 764–775

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabane M, Pireaux JC, Leger E, Weber E, Dizengremel P, Pollet B, Lapierre C (2004) Condensed lignins are synthesized in Poplar leaves exposed to ozone. Plant Phys 134:586–594

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cakmak I, Marschner H (1992) Magnesium deficiency and high light intensity enhance activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase in bean leaves. Plant Phys 98:1222–1227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman HD (1965) Cation-exchange capacity. In: Black CA et al (ed) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2, Am Soc Agron Madison. pp 891–903

  • Frei M, Tanaka JP, Chen CP, Wissuwa M (2010) Mechanisms of ozone tolerance in rice: characterization of two QTLs affecting leaf bronzing by gene expression profiling and biochemical analyses. J Exp Bot 61(5):1405–1417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gara LD, Pinto MC, Tommasi F (2003) The antioxidant systems vis-a-vis reactive oxygen species during plant-pathogen interaction. Plant Phys Biochem 41:863–870

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gopal K, Ranjhan SK (1980) Laboratory manual for nutrition research. Roland Press (India) Private Ltd. New Delhi, India.

  • Gostin IN (2009) Air pollution effects on the leaf structure of some Fabaceae species. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca 37(2):57–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Halliwell B (2006) Reactive species and antioxidants. Redox biology is a fundamental theme of life aerobic life. Plant Phys 141:312–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Irfan M, Gulsher M, Abbas S, Syed Q, Nadeem M, Baig S (2011) Effect of various pretreatment conditions on enzymatic saccharification. Songklanakarin J Sci Tech 33(4):397–404

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kangasjarvi J, Jaspers P, Kollist H (2005) Signalling and cell death in ozone-exposed plants. Plant Cell Environ 28(8):1021–1036

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kerkeb L, Connolly E (2006) Iron transport and metabolism in plants. Genet Eng 27:119–140

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knudsen D, Peterson GA, Part PF (1982) Lithium, sodium and potassium, In: Page AL et al. (ed) Methods of soil analysis. Part II, 2nd ed., Monograph No. 9, Am Soc Agron, Madision, Wisconsin. pp 225–246.

  • Koffi NA, Angaman DM, Barima YSS, Dongui BK (2015) Detoxifying hydrogen peroxide enzymes activity in two plant species exposed to air pollution in Abidjan city. Int J Plant Anim Environ Sci 5:140–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar M, Anjali M, Narayan M, Chaudhary S, Pal K (2012) Effect of sulfur dioxide on plant chlorophyll on the family of Brassicaceae. Int J Pharma Prof Res 3:605–609

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurepa J, Bueno P, Kampfenkel K, van Montagu M, Van den Bulcke I, Inze D (1997) Effects of iron deficiency on iron superoxide dismutase expression in Nicotiana tabacum. Plant Phys Biochem 35:467–474

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larcher W (2003) Physiological plant ecology: ecophysiology and stress physiology of functional groups. Springer, Heidelberg 513 PP

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Le-Gall H, Philippe F, Domon JM, Gillet F, Pelloux J, Rayon C (2015) Cell wall metabolism in response to abiotic stress. Plants 4:112–166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li L, Yi H (2012) Effect of sulfur dioxide on ROS production, gene expression and antioxidant enzyme activity in Arabidopsis plants. Plant Phys Biochem 58:46–53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindsay WL, Norvell WA (1978) Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese and copper. Soil Sci Soc Am J 42:421–428

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mander M (2002) Relationships between lignin and nutrients in Picea abies L. under alkaline air pollution. Water Air Soil Pollut 133:361–377

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen SRC, Cole V, Watanabe FS, Dean LA (1954) Estimation of available phosphorus in soil by extraction with sodium bicarbonate. USDA Cir. 939, U.S. Government, Printing Office, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Peech M (1965) Hydrogen ion activity. In: Black CA et al (eds) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Am Soc Agron, Madison, WI, pp 922–923

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahimizadeh M, Habibi D, Madani H, Mohammadi GN, Mehraban A, Sabet AM (2007) The effect of micronutrients on antioxidant enzymes metabolism in sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) under drought stress. Helia 30:167–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rajput M, Agrawal M (1994) Responses of soybean plants to sulfur dioxide at varying soil fertility regimes. Biotronics 23:81–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramirez L, Bartoli CG, Lamattina L (2013) Glutathione and ascorbic acid protect Arabidopsis plants against detrimental effects of iron deficiency. J Exp Bot 64(11):3169–3178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rao MV, Dubey PS (1993) Response of hydrogen peroxide scavenging system in two soybean cultivars. Experimental evidence for the detoxification of SO2 by enhanced H2O2 scavenging system. Environ Pollut 82:99–105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Renuga G, Paliwal K (1995) Detoxification of SO2 derivatives in chloroplasts of Hardwickia binata. J Biosci 20(1):59–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richet N, Afif D, Huber F, Pollet B, Banvoy J, El-Zein R, Lapierre C, Dizengremel P, Perre P, Cabane M (2011) Cellulose and lignin biosynthesis is altered by ozone in wood of hybrid poplar (Populus tremula). J Exp Bot 28:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Salama ZAE, El-Beltagi HS, El-Hariri DM (2009) Effect of Fe deficiency on antioxidant system in leaves of three flax cultivars. Notulae Botanicae Horti AgrobotaniciCluj-Napoca 37(1):122–128

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shigeoka S, Ishikawa T, Tamoi M, Miyagawa Y, Takeda T, Yabuta Y (2002) Regulation and function of ascorbate peroxidase isoenzymes. J Exp Bot 53:1305–1319

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh A, Agrawal SB, Rathore D (2005) Amelioration of Indian urban air pollution phytotoxicity in Beta vulgaris L. by modifying NPK nutrients. Environ Pollut 34:358–395

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava HS (1999) Biochemical defense mechanisms of plants to increased levels of ozone and other atmospheric pollutants. Curr Sci 76(4):525–533

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sun B, Jing Y, Chen K, Song L, Chen F, Zhang L (2007) Protective effect of nitric oxide on iron deficiency-induced oxidative stress in maize (Zea mays L.) J Plant Phys 164:536–543

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Swanepoel JW, Kruger GHJ, Van-Heerden PDR (2007) Effects of sulfur dioxide on photosynthesis in the succulent Augea capensis Thunb. J Arid Environ 70:208–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verma M, Agrawal M (2001) Response of wheat plants to sulfur dioxide and herbicide interaction at different fertility regimes. J Indian Bot Soc 80:67–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Walkley A, Black TA (1934) An examination of the Degljareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci 37:29–38

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zaharieva TB, Gogorcena Y, Abadia J (2004) Dynamics of metabolic responses to iron deficiency in sugar beet roots. Plant Sci 166:1045–1050

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zahedifar M, Najafian SH (2015) Combined effect of soil applied iron and sulfur fertilisers on monoterpene content and antioxidant activity of Satureja hortensis L. extract. Pertanika J Trop Agric Sci 38(3):361–374

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Shiraz, Iran

    Vahid Mohasseli

  2. Department of Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84154-83111, Iran

    Vahid Mohasseli, Amir Hossein Khoshgoftarmanesh & Hossein Shariatmadari

Authors
  1. Vahid Mohasseli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amir Hossein Khoshgoftarmanesh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hossein Shariatmadari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amir Hossein Khoshgoftarmanesh.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Yi-ping Chen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mohasseli, V., Khoshgoftarmanesh, A.H. & Shariatmadari, H. Physiological characteristics of Plantago major under SO2 exposure as affected by foliar iron spray. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 17985–17992 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9457-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9457-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation