title: Effects of supplementary ultraviolet-B irradiance on maize yield and qualities: a field experiment.
abstract: Stratospheric ozone depletion has caused an increase in the amount of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation reaching the earth's surface. Numerous investigations have demonstrated that the effect of UV-B enhancements on plants includes reduction in grain yield, alteration in species competition, susceptibility to disease and changes in plant structure and pigmentation. Many experiments examining UV-B radiation effects on plants have been conducted in growth chambers or greenhouses. It has been questioned whether the effect of UV-B radiation on plants can be extrapolated to field responses from indoor studies because of the unnaturally high ratios of UV-B/ultraviolet-A radiation (320-400 nm) and UV-B/photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in many indoor studies. Field studies on UV-B radiation effect on plants have been recommended to use the UV and PAR irradiance provided by natural light. This study reports the growth and yield responses of a maize crop exposed to enhanced UV-B radiation and the UV-B effects on maize seed qualities under field conditions. Enhanced UV-B radiation caused a significant reduction in the dry matter accumulation and the maize yield in turn was affected. With increased UV-B radiation the flavonoid accumulation in maize leaves increased and the contents of chlorophyll a, b and (a + b) of maize leaves were reduced. The levels of protein, sugar and starch of maize seed decreased with enhanced UV-B radiation, whereas the level of lysine increased with enhanced UV-B radiation.
authors.affiliation: USDA UV-B Monitoring and Research Program, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, 419 Canyon Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA. wgao@uvb.nrel.colostate.edu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Youfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Slusser
authors.forename: Gordon M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Heisler
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Jianqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Douliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D005514:Food Irradiation / Q000379:methods; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects*