Emissions of saturated C6–C10 aldehydes from poplar (Populus simonii × P. pyramidalis ‘Opera 8277’) cuttings at different levels of light intensity

Abstract

Aldehydes play an important role in atmospheric chemistry and plant direct and indirect defense against environmental stresses. In this study, the emissions of saturated C6–C10 aldehydes from Populus simonii × P. pyramidalis ‘Opera 8277’ cuttings were examined by using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technique at three levels of light intensity (400, 800 and 1 200 μmol·m−2·s−1). A positive correlation between the emissions of these aldehydes and light intensity was found. Moreover, nordi-hydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), a special inhibitor of lipoxygenase (LOX), significantly inhibited the emissions of C6–C9 aldehydes at three levels of light intensity, but did not influence the emission of decanal (C10). The emissions of C6–C10 aldehydes in NDGA treated poplar cuttings, exhibited the same positive correlation with light intensity. The results indicated that LOX pathway contributes to the emissions of C6–C9 aldehydes, whereas some pathways regulated by light intensity might be a universal mechanism for emissions of C6–C10 aldehydes.