Exogenous of different elicitors: proline and ornithine on Sansevieria trifasciata under particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Abstract

Phytoremediation has become famous for removing particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in situ. Plants for removing PM and VOC were associated with botanical biofilters to attract pollution to the plant. On the other hand, persistent pollution exposure can lower plant health and phytoremediation effectiveness; therefore, improving plant tolerance against stress is necessary. Various elicitors can enhance plant tolerance to certain stressors. This study aims to investigate different elicitors to maintain plant health and improve the use of plants in phytoremediation for PM and VOC pollution. This experiment used Sansevieria trifasciata hort. ex Prain under PM and VOC stress. Exogenous elicitors, such as proline, ornithine, and a commercial product, were applied to the leaf parts before exposure to PM and VOC stress. The initial concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 were 300-350, 350-450, and 400-500µgm-3, respectively, while the VOC concentration was 2.5-3.0mgm-3. The plant was stressed for 7days. The result indicated that ornithine 10mM is vital in improving plant tolerance and inducing antioxidant enzymes against PM and VOC, while proline 50mM and a commercial product could not reduce plant stress. This study suggests that ornithine might be an important metabolite to improve plant tolerance to PM and VOC.