Plant cell death and cellular alterations induced by ozone: key studies in Mediterranean conditions.
An account of histo-cytological and ultrastructural studies on ozone effect on crop and forest species in Italy is given, with emphasis on induced cell death and the underlying mechanisms. Cell death phenomena possibly due to ambient O(3) were recorded in crop and forest species. In contrast, visible O(3) effects on Mediterranean vegetation are often unclear. Microscopy is thus suggested as an effective tool to validate and evaluate O(3) injury to Mediterranean vegetation. A DAB-Evans blue staining was proposed to validate O(3) symptoms at the microscopic level and for a pre-visual diagnosis of O(3) injury. The method has been positively tested in some of the most important crop species, such as wheat, tomato, bean and onion and, with some restriction, in forest species, and it also allows one to gain some very useful insights into the mechanisms at the base of O(3) sensitivity or tolerance.
Faoro
Franco
F
Istituto di Patologia Vegetale, Università di Milano and CNR, Istituto di Virologia Vegetale, U.O.T di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. franco.faoro@unimi.it
Iriti
Marcello
M
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D007558:Italy; D010126:Ozone / Q000633:toxicity*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014197:Trees / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
D000393:Air Pollutants; D010126:Ozone