EMF radiations (1800 MHz)-inhibited early seedling growth of maize (Zea mays) involves alterations in starch and sucrose metabolism.
The present study investigated the impact of 1800-MHz electromagnetic field radiations (EMF-r), widely used in mobile communication, on the growth and activity of starch-, sucrose-, and phosphate-hydrolyzing enzymes in Zea mays seedlings. We exposed Z. mays to modulated continuous wave homogenous EMF-r at specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.69±0.0 × 10(-1) W kg(-1) for ½, 1, 2, and 4 h. The analysis of seedlings after 7 days revealed that short-term exposure did not induce any significant change, while longer exposure of 4 h caused significant growth and biochemical alterations. There was a reduction in the root and coleoptile length with more pronounced effect on coleoptile growth (23 % reduction on 4-h exposure). The contents of photosynthetic pigments and total carbohydrates declined by 13 and 18 %, respectively, in 4-h exposure treatments compared to unexposed control. The activity of starch-hydrolyzing enzymes-α- and β-amylases-increased by ∼92 and 94 %, respectively, at an exposure duration of 4 h, over that in the control. In response to 4-h exposure treatment, the activity of sucrolytic enzymes-acid invertases and alkaline invertases-was increased by 88 and 266 %, whereas the specific activities of phosphohydrolytic enzymes (acid phosphatases and alkaline phosphatases) showed initial increase up to ≤2 h duration and then declined at >2 h exposure duration. The study concludes that EMF-r-inhibited seedling growth of Z. mays involves interference with starch and sucrose metabolism.
Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160 014, India.
Arvind
A
Kumar
Department of Environment Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160 014, India. hpsingh_01@yahoo.com.
Harminder Pal
HP
Singh
Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160 014, India.
Daizy R
DR
Batish
Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160 014, India.
Shalinder
S
Kaur
Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160 014, India.|Central University of Punjab, City Campus, Mansa Road, Bathinda, 151 001, Punjab, India.
Ravinder Kumar
RK
Kohli
D000681:Amylases / Q000378:metabolism; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D060733:Electromagnetic Radiation; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D013213:Starch / Q000378:metabolism*; D024941:Starch Phosphorylase / Q000378:metabolism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase / Q000378:metabolism
D010940:Plant Proteins; D013395:Sucrose; D013213:Starch; D024941:Starch Phosphorylase; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D000681:Amylases; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase
Amylases; EMF radiations; Invertases; Phosphatases; Starch-hydrolyzing enzymes; Sucrose metabolism