Assessment of dose–response relationship between ozone dose and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L) cultivars using Open Top Chamber (OTC) and Ethylenediurea (EDU)

Abstract

Ground-level ozone is a serious environmental problem due to its direct oxidative effects on plant and indirect effect as greenhouse gas. Both of these scenario affected plant productivity and food security. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive seasons to evaluate the dose–response relationship between ozone doses and groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L) cultivars (TG-37A, TPG-41, TAG-24, GG-20, and Dh-86) using OTC and EDU (to minimize ozone effects). Ozone negatively affects the growth, metabolism and yield of groundnut cultivars. Enhanced level of ozone reduces the leaf area and dry mass of plant parts while plant height was increase as compare to EDU supplemented plant and ambient ozone. In general the effects of ozone was profound at juvenile stages of groundnut cultivars than vegetative > and reproductive stages. Obtained yield was maximum in EDU treated plants followed by ambient ozone >and enhanced ozone treated plots in all the cultivars. Among the groundnut cultivars, cultivars TG-37A showed highest yield reduction ( − 53.90%) while, cultivar TAG-24 showed least yield reduction ( − 7.56%) by enhanced ozone exposure during first year of the experiment. The study concluded that the cultivar Dh-86 was most sensitive at 75 ppb level of ozone while TAG-24 shows least sensitivity and can be used for cultivation in ozone prone areas to minimize the agricultural yield loss to ozone. • Tropospheric ozone is detrimental for growth and yield of groundnut cultivars. • Increase in ozone dose further enhances productivity loss of groundnut. • Plants response to ozone depends on ozone dose, plant cultivar and plant age.