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PLANT PROTECTIVE RESPONSE TO ENHANCED UV-B RADIATION UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS: LEAF OPTICAL PROPERTIES AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Citation:
Flint, S., P. Jordan, AND M. Caldwell. PLANT PROTECTIVE RESPONSE TO ENHANCED UV-B RADIATION UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS: LEAF OPTICAL PROPERTIES AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-85/503.
Description:
Plants of Vicia faba were grown in the field during early to midsummer while receiving two levels of supplemental UV-B radiation. Light-saturated photosynthesis and stomatal diffusive conductance of intact leaves did not show any indications of UV-radiation damage. Supplemental UV treatment did cause increased concentrations of UV-absorbing flavonoid pigments in leaf tissues and decreased epidermal transmittance of UV radiation. While epidermal transmittance was reduced 30% under the low-UV treatment, the high-UV treatment failed to elicit as large a change. However, total amounts of flavonoids in other leaf tissues did increase in response to the high-UV treatment up to 12% greater per unit leaf area than for control plants. This may have been a major factor protecting underlying photosynthetic tissues. (Copyright (c) 1985 Pergamon Press Ltd.)