The role of calcium in improving photosynthesis and related physiological and biochemical attributes of spring wheat subjected to simulated acid rain

Abstract

The response of photosynthesis parameters, catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity, malondialdehyde, proline, chlorophyll, yield and yield components to foliar application of calcium and simulated acid rain in wheat were investigated. Foliar treatment of calcium led to significant increases in the photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, proline, chlorophyll, yield and yield components in plants subjected to acid rain. Antioxidant enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation in the wheat leaves decreased because of calcium foliar application. Calcium hindered degradation of the rubisco subunits under acid rain treatment compared with water-treated plants. Results suggest that acid rain induces the production of free radicals resulting in lipid peroxidation of the cell membrane so that significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activity was observed. In addition, photosynthetic parameters i.e. photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance were drastically suppressed by acid rain. The cellular damage caused by free radicals might be reduced or prevented by a protective metabolism including antioxidative enzymes and calcium. We report that foliar application of calcium before acid rain may ameliorate the adverse effects of acid rain in wheat plants.

Upregulation of antioxidant and glyoxalase systems mitigates NaCl stress inBrassica junceaby supplementation of zinc and calcium

“…Among these defensive enzymes, SOD functions as the frontline protector against superoxide radicals which are further scavenged either by catalases (CATs) or APX through ascorbate-glutathione pathway, resulting in its removal which avoids the subsequent more toxic radical formation (Ahmad et al 2010, Bose et al 2013. Our results of improved antioxidant metabolism due to Ca supplementation corroborate the findings of Arshi et al (2010) and Dolatabadian et al (2013). Exogenous application of Ca to Festuca arundinacea and Poa pratensis resulted in mitigation of heat stress by improving SOD activity (Jiang and Huang 2001).…”

Effect of CaCl2 Sprays at Different Fruit Development Stages on Postharvest Keeping Quality of “Hayward” Kiwifruit

“…It has been reported that chlorophyll deterioration is one of the first symptoms of calcium deficit; therefore, an increase in cellular calcium will lead to an increase in chlorophyll content of plants (Dolatabadian et al . ). Irfan et al .…”

Intercompartmental differences between cytosol and mitochondria in their respective antioxidative responses and lipid peroxidation levels in acid rain stress

“…Reduction of SOD activity after AR treatment was also observed in other plants and presented in several works (He et al 2011;Tong et al 2005). On the other hand, there are some articles in which increases in SOD activity were observed as the effects of AR treatment (Dolatabadian et al 2013). Chen et al (2013) reported much higher constitutive SOD activity in Schima superb, a plant species tolerant to AR, than in AR-sensitive plants and this activity did not change considerably after appearance of AR stress factor.…”