title: Reduction of paraquat toxicity in maize leaves by benzyladenine.
abstract: The protective effect of a cytokinin benzyladenine (BA), against toxicity of paraquat (PQ), a widely used herbicide and a well-known oxidative stress inducer, was investigated in the leaves of maize. Maize leaves have been pretreated with BA at concentrations of 1, 10 and 100 microM and afterwards treated with PQ. At all concentrations tested, BA retarded PQ-induced decreases in chlorophyll, carotenoid and ascorbic acid contents. Pretreatment with 10 and 100 microM of BA significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity after 8 h of PQ treatment but there was no significant change in SOD activity in the leaves pretreated with BA at 12 and 24 h. However, peroxidase activity significantly increased in 100 microM of BA pretreated leaves. Results indicate that pretreatment with BA reduce PQ toxicity and BA-treated plants might become more tolerant against oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey. durmusn@hotmail.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durmuş
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kadioğlu
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D001593:Benzyl Compounds; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity; D007701:Kinetin; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010269:Paraquat / Q000633:toxicity*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects*; D011687:Purines; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001593:Benzyl Compounds; D006540:Herbicides; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D011687:Purines; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000225:Adenine; C480551:benzylaminopurine; D007701:Kinetin; D010269:Paraquat; D001205:Ascorbic Acid