title: Mycorrhizal fungi modulate phytochemical production and antioxidant activity of Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae) under metal toxicity.
abstract: Cichorium intybus (common chicory), a perennial plant, common in anthropogenic sites, has been the object of a multitude of studies in recent years due to its high content of antioxidants utilized in pharmacy and food industry. Here, the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites and the activity of enzymatic antioxidants under toxic metal stress was studied. Plants inoculated with Rhizophagus irregularis and non-inoculated were grown on non-polluted and toxic metal enriched substrata. The results presented here indicate that AMF improves chicory fitness. Fresh and dry weight was found to be severely affected by the fungi and heavy metals. The concentration of hydroxycinnamates was increased in the shoots of mycorrhizal plants cultivated on non-polluted substrata, but no differences were found in plants cultivated on metal enriched substrata. The activity of SOD and H2O2 removing enzymes CAT and POX was elevated in the shoots of mycorrhizal plants regardless of the cultivation environment. Photochemical efficiency of inoculated chicory was significantly improved. Our results indicate that R. irregularis inoculation had a beneficial role in sustaining the plants ability to cope with the deleterious effects of metal toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland. Electronic address: piotr.rozpadek@uj.edu.pl.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rozpądek
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wężowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Phytochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stojakowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Phytochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malarz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Surówka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Ł
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Sobczyk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anielska
authors.affiliation: Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ważny
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Miszalski
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Turnau
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D018651:Cichorium intybus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D055137:Glomeromycota / Q000502:physiology*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008670:Metals / Q000633:toxicity*; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000502:physiology*; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D064209:Phytochemicals; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide
keywords: Cichorium intybus; Hydroxycinnamates; Mycorrhiza; Sesquiterpene lactones