Premium
Phenol‐containing organic substances stimulate phenylpropanoid metabolism in Zea mays
Author(s) -
Ertani Andrea,
Schiavon Michela,
Altissimo Adriano,
Franceschi Clizia,
Nardi Serenella
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.201000075
Subject(s) - phenylpropanoid , chemistry , phenylalanine ammonia lyase , phenols , nutrient , phenylalanine , metabolism , phenol , food science , agronomy , biomass (ecology) , enzyme , biochemistry , organic chemistry , biosynthesis , biology , amino acid
Intensive land use may affect soil properties ( e.g., decreased soil organic matter [SOM] content) and, consequently, reduce crop yields considerably. One way of counteracting the loss of SOM and stimulating plant productivity could be the use of organic residues from agro‐industrial processes as bioactive products. The present study was focused on the possible effects of phenol‐containing organic substances derived from agro‐industrial by‐products on maize ( Zea mays L.) metabolism in a pot experiment. Plants were grown for 12 d in a nutrient solution in the absence (control) or in the presence of either a cellulosolitic dry apple hydrolyzate (AP) or a dry blueberry cool extract (BB) applied at two rates (0.1 and 1 mL L –1 ). Both products increased root and leaf biomass and led to higher concentrations of macronutrients in the plant tissue. AP and BB also had a positive impact on nitrogen (N) metabolism stimulating the activity and gene expression of phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase, a key enzyme of the phenylpropanoid pathway. Furthermore, both products increased leaf concentrations of phenols (+ 28% and 49% for AP and BB, respectively) and flavonoids (+ 22% and 25% for AP and BB, respectively). From our results it can be assumed that residues from agro‐industry may be successfully used as bioactive products in agriculture to increase plant yield and resistance to stress conditions.