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Investigating the response of tropical maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars against elevated levels of O3 at two developmental stages

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Abstract

Tropospheric ozone (O3) concentrations are rising in Indo-Gangetic plains of India, causing potential threat to agricultural productivity. Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important staple crop at global level after rice and wheat. Two high yielding cultivars of Indian maize (HQPM1-quality protein maize and DHM117-normal/non quality protein maize) were exposed to two levels of elevated O3 above the ambient level (NFC) viz. NFC + 15 ppb O3 (NFC + 15) and NFC + 30 ppb O3 (NFC + 30) using open top chambers under field conditions. The study was conducted to evaluate the biochemical responses of two cultivars at different developmental stages leading to change in yield responses. Initially at lower O3 dose, photosynthetic pigments showed an increase but reduction at later stage, while higher dose caused a decline at both the stages of sampling. Levels of superoxide radical (O2 −) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) significantly increased and contributed to lipid peroxidation at elevated O3. Histochemical localization assay of O2 − and H2O2 showed that guard cells of stomata and cells around trichomes took deeper stain at elevated O3 reflecting more formation of reactive oxygen species. Secondary metabolites like total phenol, flavonoids and anthocyanin pigments also increased in plants under O3 stress. Enzymatic antioxidants were triggered in both the cultivars due to elevated O3, while induction of non-enzymatic antioxidants was more in HQPM1. Native PAGE analysis also showed that SOD, POX, CAT, APX and GPX were stimulated at elevated O3 concentrations compared to NFC. SDS-PAGE showed reductions of major photosynthetic proteins with higher decrease in DHM117. Principal Component Analysis showed that both the cultivars showed differential response against O3 at two developmental stages. HQPM1 maintained the analogous defense strategy at both the sampling stages while DHM117 showed variable response. Overall metabolic induction of antioxidants related to defense was more in DHM117 than HQPM1. This suggests that DHM117 utilized more assimilates in maintaining the homeostasis against imposed oxidative stress, causing less translocation of assimilates to reproductive parts and thus affecting the final yield. In terms of yield it is suggested that performance of HQPM1 (quality protein maize) was better than the DHM117 (non quality protein maize).

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

AOT40:

Accumulated exposure above threshold of 40 ppb

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

CAT:

Catalase

DAB:

Diamminobenzidine

DAE:

Days after emergence

DCPIP:

2,6 dichlorophenol–indophenol

EANET:

Acid deposition monitoring network in East Asia

EDTA:

Ethylene diammine tetraacetic acid

GPX:

Guiacol peroxidase

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSH:

Reduced glutathione

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

KCN:

Potassium cyanide

LPO:

Lipid peroxidation

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

NBT:

Nitroblue tetrazolium

NFC:

Non filtered chamber

NPK:

Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium

O2 − :

Superoxide radical

OTC:

Open top chamber

PAGE:

Polyacylamide gel electrophoresis

PAL:

Phenylalanine ammonia lyase

PCA:

Principal component analysis

PEPC:

Phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase

POX:

Peroxidase

PVP:

Polyvinylpyrrolidone

QPM:

Quality protein maize

RH:

Relative humidity

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

RuBisCO:

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

SDS-PAGE:

Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TEMED:

N′N′N′N tetramethylene diammine

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, Government of India for providing financial assistance in form of a major Research Project (38(1287)/11/EMR-II). The Head, Department of Botany and Co-ordinator, CAS in Botany, Co-ordinator, UGC-UPE, Banaras Hindu University are also acknowledged for providing the necessary laboratory facilities. Authors would also like to thank superintendent, Agriculture Research farm, B.H.U. for providing the experimental field.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

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

    Aditya Abha Singh, S. B. Agrawal & Madhoolika Agrawal

  2. Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    J. P. Shahi

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  1. Aditya Abha Singh
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  2. S. B. Agrawal
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  4. Madhoolika Agrawal
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Correspondence to S. B. Agrawal.

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Singh, A.A., Agrawal, S.B., Shahi, J.P. et al. Investigating the response of tropical maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars against elevated levels of O3 at two developmental stages. Ecotoxicology 23, 1447–1463 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-014-1287-6

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