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Growth under UV-B radiation increases tolerance to high-light stress in pea and bean plants

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Abstract

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants were exposed to enhanced levels of UV-B radiation in a growth chamber. Leaf discs of UV-B treated and control plants were exposed to high-light (HL) stress (PAR: 1200 μmol m−2 s−1) to study whether pre-treatment with UV-B affected the photoprotective mechanisms of the plants against photoinhibition. At regular time intervals leaf discs were taken to perform chlorophyll a fluorescence and oxygen evolution measurements to assess damage to the photosystems. Also, after 1 h of HL treatment the concentration of xanthophyll cycle pigments was determined. A significantly slower decline of maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (F v/F m), together with a slower decline of oxygen evolution during HL stress was observed in leaf discs of UV-B treated plants compared to controls in both plant species. This indicated an increased tolerance to HL stress in UV-B treated plants. The total pool of xanthophyll cycle pigments was increased in UV-B treated pea plants compared to controls, but in bean no significant differences were found between treatments. However, in bean plants thiol concentrations were significantly enhanced by UV-B treatment, and UV-absorbing compounds increased in both species, indicating a higher antioxidant capacity. An increased leaf thickness, together with increases in antioxidant capacity could have contributed to the higher protection against photoinhibition in UV-B treated plants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 14, 9750 AA, Haren, The Netherlands

    Esther M. Bolink, Ilse van Schalkwijk, Freek Posthumus & Philip R. van Hasselt

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  1. Esther M. Bolink
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  2. Ilse van Schalkwijk
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  3. Freek Posthumus
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  4. Philip R. van Hasselt
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Bolink, E.M., van Schalkwijk, I., Posthumus, F. et al. Growth under UV-B radiation increases tolerance to high-light stress in pea and bean plants. Plant Ecology 154, 147–156 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012931808721

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