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Plant function and evolutionary biology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Quantification of stress adaptation by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy of plants exposed to engine exhaust emission and drought

Narayanan Subhash A B , Changatharayil N. Mohanan A , Rupananda J. Mallia A and Vadekkeveetil Muralidharan A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Earth Science Studies, PB 7250, Thuruvikkal PO, Trivandrum 695 031, India.

B Corresponding author; email: subhashn@vsnl.com

Functional Plant Biology 31(7) 709-719 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP03253
Submitted: 22 December 2003  Accepted: 26 April 2004   Published: 22 July 2004

Abstract

The effects of drought and petrol engine exhaust pollutants, such as SO2 and NO2 and suspended particulate matter (SPM), on the photosynthetic activity of colocasia [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott], kacholam (Kaempferia galanga L.) and tapioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) plants were studied from in vivo laser-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (LICF) spectra. An open-top chamber (OTC) of 2.5 m diameter and 3 m height incorporating an air-filtering unit was developed for this study. Plants grown inside the OTC were exposed to exhaust emissions from a two-stroke Birla Yamaha genset for 10 d, while a control group was maintained outside. Gaseous pollutants and SPM present inside the OTC during the exposure period were measured with a high-volume air sampler. The steady-state LICF spectra of the control and treated plants were recorded in the 650–750-nm region. Fluorescence induction kinetics (Kautsky effect) was also recorded during the stress period from dark-adapted intact plant leaves at the chlorophyll bands of 685 and 730 nm. The vitality indexes (Rfd-685 and Rfd-730) and stress adaptation index (Ap) derived from the induction kinetics were utilised along with the chlorophyll fluorescence intensity ratio (F685 /  F730) for evaluation of stress-induced changes in plants.

It has been observed that F685 /  F730 ratio increased for all plants inside the OTC whereas the Rfd-685, Rfd-730 and Ap values showed a downward trend with increasing pollution stress. As compared to colocasia and tapioca, kacholam plants showed higher resistance to exhaust emission and water stress as well as better capacity to regain its photosynthetic functioning on removal of the stress. Results of this study demonstrate the capability of stress adaptation index for early quantification of the functional impairment of photosynthetic apparatus in different species of plants due to air pollution and drought stresses.

Keywords: air pollution, engine exhaust emissions, F685 /  F730 ratio, laser-induced chlorophyll fluorescence, open-top chamber, stress adaptation index, vitality index, water stress.


Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Science, Technology and Environment Department, Government of Kerala, India. RJM was supported by a fellowship of the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. The encouragement shown by the Director, CESS and the active co-operation of the project staff and technicians of Atmospheric Sciences Division in this work are acknowledged.


The authors thank Prof. Reto J. Strasser of the Bioenergetics and Microbiology Laboratory, University of Geneva, for his critical and constructive review of the manuscript.


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