Abstract
Plant response to the combination of two or more abiotic stresses is different than its response to the same stresses singly. The response of maize (Zea mays L.) photosynthesis, growth, and development processes were examined under sunlit plant growth chambers at three levels of each day/night temperatures (24/16°C, 30/22°C, and 36/28°C) and UV-B radiation levels (0, 5, and 10 kJ m−2 d−1) and their interaction from 4 d after emergence to 43 d. An increase in plant height, leaf area, node number, and dry mass was observed as temperature increased. However, UV-B radiation negatively affected these processes by reducing the rates of stem elongation, leaf area expansion, and biomass accumulation. UV-B radiation affected leaf photosynthesis mostly at early stage of growth and tended to be temperature-dependent. For instance, UV-B radiation caused 3–15% decrease of photosynthetic rate (P N) on the uppermost, fully expanded leaves at 24/16°C and 36/28°C, but stimulated P N about 5–18% at 30/22°C temperature. Moreover, the observed UV-B protection mechanisms, such as accumulation of phenolics and waxes, exhibited a significant interaction among the treatments where these compounds were relatively less responsive (phenolics) or more responsive (waxes) to UV-B radiation at higher temperature treatments or vice versa. Plants exposed to UV-B radiation produced more leaf waxes except at 24/16°C treatment. The detrimental effect of UV-B radiation was greater on plant growth compared to the photosynthetic processes. Results suggest that maize growth and development, especially stem elongation, is highly sensitive to current and projected UV-B radiation levels, and temperature plays an important role in the magnitude and direction of the UV-B mediated responses.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Abbreviations
- BAR:
-
biomass accumulation rate
- Car:
-
carotenoids
- Chl:
-
chlorophyll
- DAE:
-
days after emergence
- Fv′/Fm′:
-
quantum efficiency by oxidized (open) PSII reaction center in light or actual PSII efficiency
- LA:
-
leaf area
- LAER:
-
leaf area expansion rate
- MSER:
-
main stem elongation rate
- MSNN:
-
main stem node number
- PH:
-
plant height
- P N :
-
net photosynthetic rate
- SPAR:
-
soilplant-atmosphere research
References
Allen, D.J., Nogues, S., Baker, N.R.: Ozone depletion and increased UV-B radiation: Is there a real threat to photosynthesis? — J. Exp. Bot. 49: 1775–1788, 1998.
Ballare, C.L., Caldwell, M.M., Flint, S.D., Robinson, A., Bornman, J.F.: Effects of solar ultraviolet radiation on terrestrial ecosystems. Patterns, mechanisms, and interactions with climate change. — Photoch. Photobio. Sci. 10: 226–241, 2011.
Caldwell, M.M., Robberecht, R.D., Flint, S.: Internal filters: prospects for UV-acclimation in higher plants. — Physiol. Plantarum 58: 445–450, 1983.
Casati, P., Walbot, V.: Gene expression profiling in response to ultraviolet radiation in maize genotypes with varying flavonoid content. — Plant Physiol. 132: 1739–1754, 2003.
Correia, C.M., Areal, E.L.V., Torres-Pereira, M.S., Torres-Pereira, J.M.G.: Intraspecific variation in sensitivity to ultraviolet-B radiation in maize grown under field conditions. I. Growth and morphological aspects. — Field Crop. Res. 59: 81–89, 1998.
Correia, C.M., Areal, E.L.V., Torres-Pereira, M.S., Torres-Pereira, J.M.G.: Intraspecific variation in sensitivity to ultraviolet-B radiation in maize grown under field conditions: II. Physiological and biochemical aspects. — Field Crop. Res. 62: 97–105, 1999.
Ebercon, A., Blum, A., Jordan, W.R.: A rapid colorimetric method for epicuticular wax content of sorghum leaves. — Crop Sci. 17: 179–180, 1977.
FAO, 2011: Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (online). http://faostat3.fao.org/home/index.html#DOWNLOAD. FAO, Rome, Italy.
Fleisher, D.H., Timlin, D.J., Yang, Y., Reddy, V.R., Reddy, K.R.: Uniformity of soil-plant-atmosphere-research chambers. — T. ASABE 52: 1721–1731, 2009.
Gao, W., Zheng, Y.F., Slusser, J.R., et al.: Effects of supplementary ultraviolet-B irradiance on maize yield and qualities: A field experiment. — Photochem. Photobiol. 80: 127–131, 2004.
Genty, B., Briantais, J.M., Baker, N.R.: The relationship between the quantum yield of photosynthetic electron transport and quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence. — Biochim. Biophys. Acta 990: 87–92, 1989.
Hectors, K., Prinsen, E., De Coen, W., Jansen, M.A.K., Guisez, Y.: Arabidopsis thaliana plants acclimated to low dose rates of ultraviolet B radiation show specific changes in morphology and gene expression in the absence of stress symptoms. — New Phytol. 175: 255–270, 2007.
IPCC. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. — In.: Solomon, S., Qin, D., Manning, M. et al. (ed.): Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Pp- 999. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2007.
Jansen, M.A.K.: Ultraviolet-B radiation effects on plants: induction of morphogenic responses. — Physiol. Plantarum 116: 423–429, 2002.
Kakani, V.G., Reddy, K.R., Zhao, D., Gao, W.: Senescence and hyperspectral reflectance of cotton leaves exposed to ultraviolet-B radiation and carbon dioxide. — Physiol. Plantarum 121: 250–257, 2004.
Kim, S.H., Gitz, D.C., Sicherb, R.C., et al.: Temperature dependence of growth, development, and photosynthesis in maize under elevated CO2. — Environ. Exp. Bot. 61: 224–236, 2007.
Koti, S., Reddy, K.R., Kakani, V.G., Zhao, D., Gao, W.: Effects of carbon dioxide, temperature and ultraviolet-B radiation and their interactions on soybean (Glycine max L.) growth and development. — Environ. Exp. Bot. 60: 1–10, 2007.
Li, Y., He, L., Zu, Y.: Intraspecific variation in sensitivity to ultraviolet-B radiation in endogenous hormones and photosynthetic characteristics of 10 wheat cultivars grown under field conditions. — S. Afr. J. Bot. 76: 493–498, 2010.
Lichtenthaler, H.K.: Chlorophylls and carotenoids: Pigments of photosynthesis. — Method. Enzymol. 148: 350–382, 1987.
Lobell, D.B., Burke, M.B., Tebaldi, C., et al.: Prioritizing climate change adaptation needs for food security in 2030. — Science 319: 607–610, 2008.
Mark, U., Saile-Mark, M., Tevini, M.: Effects of solar UVB radiation on growth, flowering and yield of central and southern european maize cultivars (Zea mays L.). — Photochem. Photobiol. 64: 457–463, 1996.
Mark, U., Tevini, M.: Effects of solar ultraviolet-B radiation, temperature and CO2 on growth and physiology of sunflower and maize seedlings. — Plant Ecol. 128: 224–234, 1997.
Martineau, J.R., Williams, J.H., Specht, J.E.: Tolerance in soybean. II. Evaluation of segregating populations for membrane thermostability. — Crop Sci. 19: 79–81, 1979.
McKenzie, R.L., Aucamp, P.J., Bais, A.F., Björn, L.O., Ilyas, M.: Changes in biologically active ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. — Photoch. Photobio. Sci. 6: 218–231, 2007.
Mercier, J., Baka, M., Reddy, B., Corcuff, R., Arul, J.: Shortwave ultraviolet irradiation for control of decay caused by Botrytis cinerea in bell pepper: Induced resistance and germicidal effects. — J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 126: 128–133, 2001.
Mittler, R.: Abiotic stress, the field environment and stress combination. — Trends Plant Sci. 11: 15–19, 2006.
Nogués, S., Baker, N.R.: Evaluation of the role of damage to photosystem II in the inhibition of CO2 assimilation in pea leaves on exposure to UV-B radiation. — Plant Cell Environ. 18: 781–787, 1995.
Qaderi, M. M., Basraon, N. K., Chinnappa, C.C., Reid, D. M.: Combined effects of temperature, ultraviolet-B radiation, and watering regime on growth and physiological processes in canola (Brassica napus) seedlings. — Int. J. Plant Sci. 171: 466–481, 2010.
Qu, Y., Feng, H.Y., Wang, Y.B., et al.: Nitric oxide functions as a signal in ultraviolet-B induced inhibition of pea stems elongation. — Plant Sci. 170: 994–1000, 2006.
Reddy, K.R., Hodges, H.F., Read, J.J., et al.: Soil-Plant-Atmosphere-Research (SPAR) facility: A tool for plant research and modeling. — Biotronics 30: 27–50, 2001.
Reddy, K.R., Kakani, V.G., Zhao, D., Mohammed, A.R., Gao, W.: Cotton responses to ultraviolet-B radiation: experimentation and algorithm development. — Agr. Forest. Meteorol. 120: 249–265, 2003.
Reddy, K.R., Kakani, V.G., Zhao, D., Koti, S., Gao, W.: Interactive effects of ultraviolet-B radiation and temperature on cotton physiology, growth, development and hyperspectral reflectance. — Photochem. Photobiol. 79: 416–427, 2004.
Reddy, K.R., Singh, S.K., Koti, S., et al.: Quantifying corn growth and physiological responses to ultraviolet-B radiation for modeling. — Agron. J. 105: 1367–1377, 2013.
Ros, J., Tevini, M.: UV-radiation and indole-3-acetic acid: Interactions during growth of seedlings and hypocotyl segments of sunflower. — J. Plant Physiol. 146: 295–302, 1995.
Rozema, J., van de Staaij, J., Björn, L.O., Caldwell, M.: UV-B as an environmental factor in plant life: stress and regulation. — Trends Ecol. Evol. 12: 22–28, 1997.
Singh, S.K., Kakani, V.G., Brand, D., Baldwin, B., Reddy, K.R.: Assessment of cold and heat tolerance of winter-grown canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars by pollen-based parameters. — J. Agron. Crop Sci. 194: 225–236, 2008a.
Singh, S.K., Surabhi, G.-K., Gao, W., Reddy, K.R.: Assessing genotypic variability of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) to current and projected ultraviolet-B radiation. — J. Photoch. Photobio. B 93: 71–81, 2008b.
Singh, S.K., Kakani, V.G., Surabhi, G.K., Reddy, K.R.: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) genotypes response to multiple abiotic stresses. — J. Photoch. Photobio. B 100: 135–146, 2010.
Singh, S.K., Reddy, K.R.: Regulation of photosynthesis, fluorescence, stomatal conductance and water-use efficiency of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) under drought. — J. Photoch. Photobio. B 105: 40–50, 2011.
Singh, S.K., Badgujar, G., Reddy, V.R., Fleisher, D.H., Bunce, J.A.: Carbon dioxide diffusion across stomata and mesophyll and photobiochemical processes as affected by growth CO2 and phosphorus nutrition in cotton. — J. Plant Physiol. 170: 801–813, 2013.
Tao, F., Zhang, Z.: Impacts of climate change as a function of global mean temperature: Maize productivity and water use in China. — Climatic Change 105: 409–432, 2011.
Teramura, A.H.: Effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on the growth and yield of crop plants. — Physiol. Plantarum 58: 415–427, 1983.
Teramura, A.H., Sullivan, J.H., Lydon, J.: Effects of UV-B radiation on soybean yield and seed quality: a 6-year field study. — Physiol. Plantarum 80: 5–11, 1990.
Tollenaar, M.: Response of dry matter accumulation in maize to temperature: I. Dry matter partitioning. — Crop Sci. 29: 1239–1246, 1989a.
Tollenaar, M.: Response of dry matter accumulation in maize to temperature: II. Leaf photosynthesis. — Crop Sci. 29: 1275–1279, 1989b.
Yin, L.N., Wang, S.W.: Modulated increased UV-B radiation affects crop growth and grain yield and quality of maize in the field. — Photosynthetica 50: 595–601, 2012.
Zhao, D., Reddy, K.R., Kakani, V.G., Read, J.J., Sullivan, J.H.: Growth and physiological responses of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to elevated carbon dioxide and ultraviolet-B radiation under controlled environmental conditions. — Plant Cell Environ. 26: 771–782, 2003.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Acknowledgements: This research was funded in part by the USDA-UV-B Monitoring Program at Colorado State University, CO. We also thank Mr. David Brand for technical support. This article is a contribution from the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, paper no. J-12101.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, S.K., Reddy, K.R., Reddy, V.R. et al. Maize growth and developmental responses to temperature and ultraviolet-B radiation interaction. Photosynthetica 52, 262–271 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-014-0029-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-014-0029-6