Understanding mechanistic variability in physiological and biochemical responses of pea cultivars (Pisum sativum L.) to ozone exposure

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Increasing concentration of ground level O3 and its negative impacts on agricultural output is well documented, however, the response of leguminous crop plants is still sparsely cited. Given their nutritional richness, legume seeds are widely esteemed as a crucial dietary staple worldwide, prized for their abundance of oil, protein, dietary fiber, and low-fat characteristics. Termed as the “poor man's meat” due to their high-quality protein, they hold immense economic value. Acknowledging the significance of legumes, a field experiment was conducted to understand the physiological and antioxidant responses, stomatal characteristics, and yield response in three cultivars of Pisum sativum L. (K Agaiti, K Uday and K Damini), exposed to elevated ozone (O3). In the present study, Pisum sativum cultivars were subjected to ambient (control) and elevated (+15 ppb) concentrations of O3, using separate sets of OTCs. Elevated O3 stimulated the activity of the enzymes of Halliwell Asada pathway, which were responsible for the differential response of the three experimental cultivars. While K Agaiti and K Uday focused on upregulating their antioxidant defense, K Damini followed the strategy of biomass allocation. Test weight showed that K Damini was most efficient in succoring the yield losses under elevated O3. Under elevated O3, test weight reduced by 8.91%, 7.52%, and 5.1%, respectively, in K Agaiti, followed by K Uday and K Damini, rendering K Agaiti most sensitive to O3 stress. The present study not only helps us to elucidate the O3 sensitivity of the selected experimental cultivars, it also helps us in screening O3 tolerant cultivars for future agricultural practices.