title: Screening agrochemicals as potential protectants of plants against ozone phytotoxicity.
abstract: We tested seven contemporary agrochemicals as potential plant protectants against ozone phytotoxicity. In nine experiments, Bel-W3 tobacco plants were experienced weekly exposures to a) 80 nmol mol(-1) of ozone-enriched or ozone-free air in controlled environment chambers, b) an urban air polluted area, and c) an agricultural-remote area. Ozone caused severe leaf injury, reduced chlorophylls' and total carotenoids' content, and negatively affected photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. Penconazole, (35% ± 8) hexaconazole (28% ± 5) and kresoxim-methyl (28% ± 15) showed higher plants' protection (expressed as percentage; mean ± s.e.) against ozone, although the latter exhibited a high variability. Azoxystrobin (21% ± 15) showed lower protection efficacy and Benomyl (15% ± 9) even lower. Trifloxystrobin (7% ± 11) did not protect the plants at all. Acibenzolar-S-methyl + metalaxyl-M (Bion MX) (-6% ± 17) exhibited the higher variability and contrasting results: in some experiments it showed some protection while in others it intensified the ozone injury by causing phytotoxic symptoms on leaves, even in control plants.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, Votanikos 11855, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: saitanis@aua.gr.
authors.forename: Costas J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Saitanis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, Votanikos 11855, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Lekkas
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, Votanikos 11855, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: evgenios@for.agr.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Evgenios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agathokleous
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pesticide Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, Votanikos 11855, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: bmic7fof@aua.gr.
authors.forename: Fotini
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Flouri
mesh_terms: D016573:Agrochemicals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002734:Chlorophyll; D008689:Methacrylates; D010126:Ozone / Q000633:toxicity*; D010648:Phenylacetates; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D018515:Plant Leaves; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000073739:Strobilurins; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016573:Agrochemicals; D008689:Methacrylates; D010648:Phenylacetates; D020011:Protective Agents; D000073739:Strobilurins; C469328:kresoxim-methyl; D002734:Chlorophyll; D010126:Ozone
keywords: Azoxystrobin; Benomyl; Biomonitoring; Bion MX; Fungicides; Greece; Penconazole; Tobacco