Skip to main content
Log in

Kinetin Alleviates UV-B-Induced Damage in Solanum lycopersicum: Implications of Phenolics and Antioxidants

  • Published:
Journal of Plant Growth Regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cytokinins, a class of plant growth regulators, are known to regulate several plant developmental processes and may play a significant role in protecting them against abiotic stresses. Thus, this study was focused on the effect of kinetin (KN, 10 µM) treatment on phenylpropanoid pathway: PAL activity, phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins contents, and oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant potential, and growth in tomato seedlings exposed to UV-B (UV-B1, ambient + 1.2 kJ m−2 day−1 and UV-B2, ambient + 2.4 kJ m−2 day−1) stress. UV-B exposure to KN untreated seedlings caused substantial increase in reactive oxygen species contents: superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and oxidative damage biomarkers: lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage in a dose-dependent manner, despite increased antioxidant potential: super oxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity, and radical scavenging capacity (DPPH activity), PAL activity, total phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanins contents. The seedlings pre-treated with KN and subsequently exposed to UV-B exhibited substantial increase (i) in antioxidant potential: SOD, POD, CAT and GST activity, and DPPH activity and (ii) PAL activity which led to a further rise in total phenolics, UV-B screening pigments (flavonoids) and anthocyanins and hence, significant lowering in oxidative stress biomarkers was noticed. The overall results show that KN pre-treatment significantly alleviated UV-B-induced damaging effects in tomato seedlings by regulating phenolics and antioxidants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aebi H (1984) Catalase in vitro. Methods Enzymol 105:121–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Agati G, Biricolti S, Guidi L, Ferrini F, Fini A, Tattini M (2011) The biosynthesis of flavonoids is enhanced similarly by UV radiation and root zone salinity in L. vulgare leaves. J Plant Physiol 168:204–212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M, Akram NA, Al-qurainy F, Foolad MR (2011) Drought tolerance, roles of organic osmolytes, growth regulators, and mineral nutrients. In: Donald L (ed) Advances in agronomy. Academic Press, London, pp 249–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Basahi JM, Ismail IM, Hassan IA (2014) Effects of enhanced UV-B radiation and drought stress on photosynthetic performance of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. romaine) plants. Annu Res Rev Biol 4:1739–1756

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bashri G, Singh M, Mishra RK, Kumar J, Singh VP, Prasad SM (2018) Kinetin regulates UV-B-induced damage to growth, photosystem II photochemistry, and nitrogen metabolism in tomato seedlings. J Plant Growth Regul 37:233–245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blois MS (1958) Antioxidant determinations by the use of a stable free radical. Nature 181:1199–1200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carimi F, Zottini M, Costa A, Cattelan I, Michele RD, Terzi M, Schiavo FL (2005) NO signaling in cytokinin-induced programmed cell death. Plant Cell Environ 28:1171–1178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Castro-Mercado E, Martinez-Diaz Y, Roman-Tehandon N, Garcia-Pineda E (2009) Biochemical analysis of reactive oxygen species production and antioxidative responses in unripe avocado (Persea americana Mill. var Hass) fruits in response to wounding. Protoplasma 235:67–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davies PJ (2004) Plant hormones: biosynthesis, signal transduction, action. Kluwer Academic Press, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Elstner EF, Heupel A (1976) Inhibition of nitrite formation from hydroxylaminonium-chloride: a simple assay for superoxide dismutase. Anal Biochem 70:616–620

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giannopolitis CN, Ries SK (1977) Superoxide dismutase: I. Occurrence in higher plants. Plant Physiol 59:309–314

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gitz DC, Gitz LL, McClure JW, Hirerta AJ (2004) Effects of PAL inhibitor on phenolic accumulation and UV-B tolerance in Spirodela intermedia (Koch). J Exp Bot 55:919–927

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gong M, Li YJ, Chen SZ (1998) Abscisic acid induced thermos tolerance in maize seedlings is mediated by calcium and associated with antioxidant system. J Plant Physiol 153:488–496

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Habig WH, Pabst MJ, Jakob WB (1974) Glutathione-S-transferases, the first enzymatic step in mercapturic acid formation. J Biol Chem 249:7130–7139

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hao G, Du X, Zhao F, Shi R, Wang J (2009) Role of nitric oxide in UV-B-induced activation of PAL and stimulation of flavonoid biosynthesis in Ginkgo biloba callus. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 97:175 – 185

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hodges MD, DeLong JM, Forney CF, Prarge PK (1999) Improving the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay for lipid peroxidation in plant tissues containing anthocyanine and other interfering compounds. Planta 207:604–611

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang YM, Fu JR (1999) Biochemical and physiological changes involved in browning of litchi fruit caused by water. J Hortic Sci Biotechnol 74:43–46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang Y, Joyce DC (2003) ABA effects on ethylene production, PAL activity, anthocyanin and phenolic contents of strawberry fruit. Plant Growth Regul 39:171–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim YH, Hamayun M, Khan AL, Kang SM, Han HH, Lee IJ (2009) Exogenous application of plant growth regulators increased the total flavonoid content in Taraxacum officinale Wigg. Afr J Biotechnol 21:5727–5732

    Google Scholar 

  • Lalarukh I, Ashraf MA, Azeem M, Hussain M, Akbar M, Ashraf MY, Javed MT, Iqbal N (2014) Growth stage-based response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to kinetin under water-deficit environment: pigments and gas exchange attributes. Acta Agric Scan. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2014.926979

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu C, Han X, Cai L, Lu X, Ying T, Jiang Z (2011) Postharvest UV-B irradiation maintains sensory qualities and enhances antioxidant capacity in tomato fruit during storage. Postharvest Biol Technol 59:232–237

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madronich S, McKenzie RL, Bjorn LO, Caldwell MM (1998) Changes in biologically active ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. J Photochem Photobiol B l46:5–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahalingam R, Fedoroff N (2003) Stress response, cell death and signaling; the many faces of reactive oxygen species. Physiol Plant 119:56–58

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marrs K (1996) The functions and regulation of glutathione-S-transferases in plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 47:127–158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mirecki RM, Teramura AH (1984) Effects of ultraviolet-B irradiance on soybean. The dependence of plant sensitivity on the photosynthetic photon flux density during and after leaf expansion. Plant Physiol 74:475–480

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mittler R (2002) Oxidative stress, antioxidants and stress tolerance. Trends Plant Sci 7:405–410

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pompella A, Maellaro E, Casini AF, Ferrali M, CiccoliL ComportiM (1987) Measurement of lipid peroxidation in vivo: a comparison of different procedures. Lipids 22:206–211

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad SM, Zeeshan M (2005) UV-B radiation and cadmium induced changes in growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant enzymes of cyanobacterium Plectonema boryanum. Plant Biol 49:229–236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rivero RM, Shulaev V, Blumwald E (2009) Cytokinin-dependent photorespiration and the protection of photosynthesis during water deficit. Plant Cell Physiol 150:1530–1540

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shah SH (2011) Kinetin improves photosynthetic and antioxidant responses of Nigella sativa to counteract salt stress. Russ J Plant Physiol 58:454–459

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh S, Prasad SM (2014) Growth photosynthesis and oxidative responses of Solanum melongena L. seedlings to cadmium stress: Mechanism of toxicity amelioration by kinetin. Sci Hortic 176:1–10

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh VP, Kumar J, Singh S, Prasad SM (2014) Dimethoate modifies enhanced UV-B effects on growth, photosynthesis and oxidative stress in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) seedlings: implication of salicylic acid. Pestic Biochem Physiol 116:13–23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh VP, Kumar J, Singh M, Singh S, Prasad SM, Dwivedi R, Singh MPVVB (2016a) Role of salicylic acid-seed priming in the regulation of chromium (VI) and UV-B toxicity in maize seedlings. Plant Growth Regul 78:79–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh R, Singh S, Parihar P, Mishra RK, Tripathi DK, Singh VP, Chauhan DK, Prasad SM (2016b) Reactive oxygen species (ROS): beneficial companions of plants’ developmental processes. Front Plant Sci 7:1299. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01299

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Smith JL, Burritt DJ, Bannister P (2000) Shoot dry weight, chlorophyll and UV-B absorbing compounds as indicators of a plant’s sensitivity to UV-B radiation. Ann Bot 86:1057–1063

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thordal-Christensen H, Zhang Z, Wei Y, Collinge DB (1997) Subcellular localization of H2O2 in plants: H2O2 accumulation in papillae and hypersensitive response during the barley-powdery mildew interaction. Plant J 11:1187–1194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Treutter D (2005) Significance of flavonoids in plant resistance and enhancement of their biosynthesis. Plant Biol 7:581–591

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vaseva I, Todorova D, Malbeck J, Trávníèková A, Machackova I, Karanov E (2006) Two pea varieties differ in cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase response to UV-B irradiation. Gen Appl Plant Physiol (Special) 2006:131–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Velikova V, Yordanov I, Edreva A (2000) Oxidative stress and some antioxidant systems in acid rain-treated bean plants. Plant Sci 151:59–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wanger GJ (1979) Content and vacuole/extra vacuole distribution of neutral sugars, free amino acids, and anthocyanins in protoplast. Plant Physiol 64:88–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waterhouse AL (2001) Determination of total phenolics. In: Wrolstad RE (ed) Current protocols in food analytical chemistry. Wiley, New York, pp I1.1.1–I1.1.8

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang H, Zhao Z, Qiang W, An L, Xu S, Wang X (2004) Effects of enhanced UV-B radiation on the hormonal content of vegetative and reproductive tissues of two tomato cultivars and their relationships with reproductive characteristics. Plant Growth Regul 43:251–258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang XZ (1992) The measurement and mechanism of lipid peroxidation and SOD, POD and CAT activities in biological system”. In: Zhang XZ (ed) Research methodology of crop physiology. Agriculture Press, Beijing, pp 208–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Zlatev ZS, Lidon FJC, Kaimakanova M (2012) Plant physiological responses to UV-B radiation. Emir J Food Agric 2:481–501

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi for providing financial support to Madhulika Singh (UGC-AU-research fellowship scheme) and also to Indian Council of Medical and Research, New Delhi, India for providing financial support to Gausiya Bashri as Senior Research Fellow.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sheo Mohan Prasad.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Singh, M., Bashri, G., Prasad, S.M. et al. Kinetin Alleviates UV-B-Induced Damage in Solanum lycopersicum: Implications of Phenolics and Antioxidants. J Plant Growth Regul 38, 831–841 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-018-9894-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-018-9894-8

Keywords

Navigation