The ozone component of global changes: Potential effects on agricultural and horticultural plant yield, product quality and interactions with invasive species

Authors: Booker, Fitzgerald; MUNTIFERING, RUSSELL - AUBURN UNIVERSITY; MCGRATH, MARGARET - CORNELL UNIVERSITY; Burkey, Kent; DECOTEAU, DENNES - PENN STATE UNIVERSITY; Fiscus, Edwin; MANNING, WILLIAM - UNIVERSITY OF MASS; KRUPA, SAGAR - UNIVERSITY OF MINN; CHAPPELKA, ART - AUBURN UNIVERSITY; GRANTZ, DAVID - UNIVERSITY OF CALIF

Submitted to: Journal of Integrative Plant Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/28/2008
Publication Date: 4/1/2009
Citation: Booker, F.L., Muntifering, R., Mcgrath, M., Burkey, K.O., Decoteau, D., Fiscus, E.L., Manning, W., Krupa, S., Chappelka, A., Grantz, D. 2009. The ozone component of global changes: Potential effects on agricultural and horticultural plant yield, product quality and interactions with invasive species. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 51:337-351.

Interpretive Summary: The performance and quality of agricultural and horticultural plants in many regions of the world are adversely affected by current and anticipated concentrations of ground-level, tropospheric ozone (O3). Numerous studies with a variety of plant species and experimental approaches lead to similar conclusions regarding the nature and extent of the problem. Overall the studies concur, but characterizing the influences of interacting genetic and environmental factors will require a more comprehensive assessment of the problem. Here we examine recent data showing that current ambient O3 concentrations in the Eastern U.S. cause substantially different levels of damage to otherwise similar snap bean cultivars. We further demonstrate that O3 can have undesirable effects on yield quality that directly affect seed and fruit chemistry as well as forage nutritive value, with consequences for animal production. Ozone can also alter glyphosate efficacy and foster infestation of some invasive species. Future climate change scenarios suggest increasing frequency of O3 pollution episodes in some regions of the world, while proposed emission control legislation may limit tropospheric O3 concentration increases. Nevertheless, these current and projected levels of O3 are phytotoxic to sensitive plants. Plant breeding activities that incorporate influences of tropospheric O3 into selection strategies, along with altered production practices and abandonment of sensitive cultivars, will be increasingly necessary to achieve sustainable production with changing atmospheric composition.

Technical Abstract: The performance and quality of agricultural and horticultural plants in many regions of the world are adversely affected by current and anticipated concentrations of ground-level, tropospheric ozone (O3). Numerous studies with a variety of plant species and experimental approaches lead to similar conclusions regarding the nature and extent of the problem. Overall the studies concur, but characterizing the influences of interacting genetic and environmental factors will require a more comprehensive assessment of the problem. Here we examine recent data showing that current ambient O3 concentrations in the Eastern U.S. cause substantially different levels of damage to otherwise similar snap bean cultivars. We further demonstrate that O3 can have undesirable effects on yield quality that directly affect seed and fruit chemistry as well as forage nutritive value, with consequences for animal production. Ozone can also alter glyphosate efficacy and foster infestation of some invasive species. Future climate change scenarios suggest increasing frequency of O3 pollution episodes in some regions of the world, while proposed emission control legislation may limit tropospheric O3 concentration increases. Nevertheless, these current and projected levels of O3 are phytotoxic to sensitive plants. Plant breeding activities that incorporate influences of tropospheric O3 into selection strategies, along with altered production practices and abandonment of sensitive cultivars, will be increasingly necessary to achieve sustainable production with changing atmospheric composition.