Effects of ambient and elevated ozone on morphophysiology of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and its correlation with yield traits

Abstract

Ozone is the most reactive and toxic gas in the troposphere which affects agricultural productivity and causes global food crisis. Ozone enters in plants through the stomatal opening and overproduces ROS, which damages proteins, membrane lipids, and carbohydrates, affecting plant development and reduces yield. Presented study was conducted to measure the effect of ozone on morphophysiology of cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars and its correlation with yield and quality traits. This experiment was conducted with three treatments (1) elevated ozone, (2) ambient ozone, and (3) EDU supplements. The result described that the elevated ozone caused severe effect on morpho-physiological characteristics of selected cultivars of cotton than ambient ozone while, EDU provides protection. Further, no economic yield was obtained from the cotton plants exposed to elevated level of ozone during first year of experiment suggested severity of this pollutant. Although cultivars V-797, G.Cot.13 and ADC-1 produced economic yield during second year, it was drastically low than control plants. Result of the study also finds a strong correlation between morphophysiology of plants and yield loss suggesting that the increased severity on morphophysiological characteristic resulted in to higher yield loss. Based on two-year trial, cultivar GADC-2 was found to be the most sensitive to ozone whereas, cultivar G. Cot.13 was the least sensitive to ozone with lowest yield loss. Study conclude that the higher effect of ozone on morphophysiology resulted in to high yield loss in all cultivars. However, severity of effect varied among the cultivars and by the plant age. • Elevated ozone severely affected while, EDU provide protection to cotton plants. • Ozone adaptability was higher in G.Cot.13 than the other tested cultivars of cotton. • Morphological and yield characteristics were strongly correlated in tolerant cultivars. • Ozone sensitive cultivars showed higher loss of yield to ozone.