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Ofloxacin induces etiolation in Welsh onion leaves
Xuena Liu1, Yao Lv1, Song Gao1
1College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Fruit & Vegetable Quality and Efficient Production in Shandong, PR China; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops in Huanghuai Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China.
Abstract:
Antibiotic pollution has become an important global issue, and ofloxacin (OFL) is widely used worldwide. However, little is known about the potential adverse effects of OFL on plants. We assessed the toxic effects of OFL on Welsh onion and explored its toxicity mechanism. The leaf pigment content increased in 0.1 mg/L of OFL but decreased in a dose-dependent manner (0.5-2 mg/L OFL) until leaf etiolation. The ultrastructure of leaves showed that the treatment of 2 mg/L OFL produced significant toxicity. Furthermore, photosynthetic and fluorescence parameters were negatively affected by OFL treatment. The photosynthetic electron transport chain was significantly inhibited by OFL treatment, especially between QA and QB. The hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde content also increased with OFL concentration, indicating that antioxidant enzymes' role in antibiotic response is limited. In conclusion, OFL can damage chloroplasts by promoting ROS accumulation, which results in the etiolation of Welsh onion leaves.
