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Detoxificant Enzymes in Pumpkin Grown in Polluted Ambient Air

Ist. Chimica Agraria, Univ. di Pisa, Via S. Michele degli Scalzi 2, 56100 Pisa, Italy;
ENEL S.p.A, Environment Service, via Rubattino 54, 20134 Milano, Italy;
Dip. Biologia, Difesa e Biotecnologie Agro Forestali, Univ. Basilicata, Sez. Industrie Agrarie, Via N. Sauro 85, 85100 Potenza, Italy.

^* Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Pumpkin [Cucurbita pepo (L.) cv. Ambassador] plants were grown under either nonfiltered or filtered ambient air in open-top field chambers (OTCs) near the urban area of Milan, Northern Italy. The effects of ambient air pollution on the enzymatic detoxification system of the leaves, both in terms of activity and isoform pattern were investigated. The data on air quality showed that ozone was the main phytotoxic pollutant present in ambient air, reaching a 7 h mean of 63 nL L^–1 and a maximum hourly peak of 104 nL L^–1. The peroxidase and catalase activities increased fourfold and twofold, respectively in the nonfiltered air plants in comparison to the filtered air ones. The peroxidase patterns were very modified in the polluted plants. In contrast no significant changes were found in the activity and isoenzyme pottern of superoxide dismutase. The data reported here suggest that in field-grown pumpkin plants exposed to ambient levels of photooxidants, a stimulation of the peroxidase-catalase detoxification system takes place.