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Influence of enhanced UV-B radiation on biomass allocation and pigment concentrations in leaves and reproductive structures of greenhouse-grown Brassica rapa

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Abstract

We assessed the effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B; 280–320 nm) on biomass allocation to roots, shoots, leaves and flowers in the annual Brassica rapa. In addition, we investigated how concentrations of chlorophyll and UV-B-absorbing compounds in leaves, ovaries and pollen changed in response to enhanced UV-B. Plants were grown for 38 d in a greenhouse under lampbanks providing daily biologically effective UV-B doses equivalent to those under ambient mid-March stratospheric ozone levels or 16% (‘low-enhanced UV-B’) or 32% (‘high-enhanced UV-B’) ozone depletion levels for Morgantown, WV, USA. Total and aboveground biomass of plants was less under low-enhanced UV-B, but similar to ambient controls under high-enhanced UV-B. Concentrations of UV-B-absorbing compounds in leaves (area basis) increased under high-enhanced UV-B by about 20%, but were similar to ambient controls under low-enhanced UV-B. More effective protection due to higher screening-compound concentrations in plants under high-enhanced UV-B may explain why biomass production was not reduced. Plants under high-enhanced UV-B also had more reproductive biomass and produced more flowers, and had less root mass, than plants under ambient or low-enhanced UV-B. Concentrations of leaf total chlorophyll were not affected by UV-B treatment. While UV-B treatment had no affect on concentrations of UV-B-absorbing compounds in ovaries, concentrations in pollen from plants under both enhanced-UV-B treatments were >40% greater than ambient controls.

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  1. Thomas A. Day

    Present address: Department of Botany, Arizona State University, Box 871601, 85287-1601, Tempe, AZ, USA

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  1. Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

    Thomas A. Day & Sophie M. Demchik

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Day, T.A., Demchik, S.M. Influence of enhanced UV-B radiation on biomass allocation and pigment concentrations in leaves and reproductive structures of greenhouse-grown Brassica rapa . Vegetatio 127, 109–116 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044635

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