Abstract

The origin of life was manifested by the regulatory role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV radiation is a small portion of the solar spectrum possessing the ability to regulate the life forms on the Earth. The plants are inevitably bound to perceive all the incoming radiation. Excessive exposure to UV radiation causes significant changes in the overall performances of the plants. Initially, at the time of the emergence of life, UV radiation was meant to the cue for shaping the life forms as well as plants. Later with the wake of evidence related to ozone layer depletion, most of the studies quickly centred on the damaging effects of UV radiation on plants. The responses showed by the plants under higher UV radiation were also very convincing and vast (negative alterations in growth, morphology, physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and productivity of the plants). The depletion in the ozone layer poses a threat to life processes, including a reduction in plant height, root length, leaf size, internodes length, crop yield losses, and change in the quality of products and several genetic aberrations. However, the trend is reversing, and studies based on UV radiation’s multi-faceted role have now been increased. More information regarding the acclimatory and regulatory roles of UV-B radiation has been demonstrated through mechanistic studies of the plants. These studies showed that apart from UV-B radiation’s damaging and harmful nature, it can also induce certain changes in the plants’ biochemistry, which causes tolerance against pathogens and herbivory. Earlier, UV radiation-induced synthesis of phenolic compounds led to the emergence of life from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems. Later these polyphenolics, along with flavonoids, also act as antioxidative compounds and play a crucial role in secondary metabolite synthesis, which can be commercially extracted and used as drugs against several diseases. Excess exposure to UV-B radiation induces adverse effects such as malignant and/or non-malignant eye and skin tumours, cataracts, and other skin diseases. However, some studies advocate the beneficial role of UV radiation, including the biosynthesis of vitamin D and phytotherapy. Although the emphasis on the regulatory role of UV radiation is less than its damaging nature, UV radiation can play a harmful and regulatory role according to the environmental conditions. UV-B effects also vary with species, altitude, latitude, time of the day, day of the year, cloud cover, and other meteorological conditions. Here, we review the regulatory, acclimatory, and damaging responses of plants against UV radiation, which could help understand the variable behaviour of UV radiation and could pave new insights related to the function of UV radiation and its exploitation for the benefits of the humankind and biosphere.

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