Polyamines as Antiozonants for Tomato

Abstract

Abstract Polyamines acted as antisenescence agents (2, 5), increased membrane stability of beet root, rose petal, and spinach leaf tissue (8, 9), and decreased the rate of chlorophyll degradation in radish cotyledons (2). Ozone is a major air pollutant causing economic losses to crops in agricultural areas (1). One approach to controlling the damage caused by ozone has been the use of chemical protectants (7), but consistent responses have been difficult to achieve. The antisenescence properties of polyamines may confer protectant properties that will reduce or prevent ozone-induced injury to plants. Previous studies have shown increased membrane permeability by ozone at 0.15 μl·liter−1 (4) and increased senescence with ozone at 0.15 μl·liter−1 (3). The objective of this study was to determine if the polyamines—spermine, spermidine, and putrescine—could act as protectants in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.).