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Stage-Wise Assessment of Trifolium repens Performance Against Elevated UV-B: Gaseous Exchange, Antioxidant and Forage Quality

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Abstract

Accessory agricultural activities like rearing of livestock are declining because of deterioration in forage/fodder productivity and quality. Fodder species like Trifolium repens through biological nitrogen fixation supplements nitrogen in soil and helps in checking the input of harmful nitrogen-based chemical fertilizers. UV-B (280–315 nm) is one amongst many other abiotic stresses that influence the yield and quality of forage and fodder. Therefore, this study was executed to assess the functioning of T. repens (white clover) against elevated UV-B (eUV-B; + 7.2 kJ m−2 d−1). Test plant responses to eUV-B were evaluated at two growth stages, vegetative (S1) and reproductive (S2) stages. Ambient UV-B increased gradually from vegetative to reproductive stage but eUV-B caused more membrane damage at S1 stage with increased ascorbic acid and APX activities and cuticular depositions. Membrane damage was accompanied with concomitant decline in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance at S1 stage. Damaging effects of UV-B are biochemical at S1 stage and biophysical at S2 stage. Accumulation of sucrose under eUV-B at source with decline in sink sites at S1 stage suggests its possible allocation to structural maintenance. eUV-B led to induction in enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and thus protein levels with regulatory growth modulations at S2 stage, thereby provided plants tolerance to eUV-B. Intrinsic protein levels were higher in control and treated plants at S1 stage, whereas the absolute levels were lower at S2 stage, therefore Trifolium fodder should exploit S2 stage in areas receiving high influx of UV-B.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Head and Co-ordinators, Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Inter-disciplinary School of Life Sciences and FIST (DST), Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, for providing instruments and laboratory facilities to carry out the work. The authors are also thankful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for providing financial assistance to AH as a Junior Research Fellowship.

Funding

CSIR and DST-FIST.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Air Pollution and Global Climate Change, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Abdul Hamid, Suruchi Singh & Shashi Bhushan Agrawal

Authors
  1. Abdul Hamid
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  2. Suruchi Singh
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  3. Shashi Bhushan Agrawal
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Contributions

Dr. Abdul Hamid conducted the experiment; data were analysed by Dr. Suruchi Singh and the manuscript was jointly drafted by AH and SS. The entire investigation was conducted under the supervision of Prof. S.B. Agrawal. Prof. SBA corrected the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Shashi Bhushan Agrawal.

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Significance statement

The paper focuses on the growth stage-wise response of clover plants to ambient and elevated UV-B. UV-B has modified the responses, which induced deterrence against herbivory. Holistic responses are quantified, which reflects stage-wise suitability as fodder.

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Hamid, A., Singh, S. & Agrawal, S.B. Stage-Wise Assessment of Trifolium repens Performance Against Elevated UV-B: Gaseous Exchange, Antioxidant and Forage Quality. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., India, Sect. B Biol. Sci. 92, 371–384 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-021-01316-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40011-021-01316-0

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