Effect of increased UV-B radiation on carotenoid accumulation and total antioxidant capacity in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaves

Abstract

Carotenoids are important components of plant antioxidant systems, which protect photosystems from photooxidative destruction during ultraviolet-B (UV-B) exposure. The influence of carotenoids on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of plants has rarely been studied. In this study, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L., 'K326') seedlings exposed to UV-B radiation were used in order to evaluate the effects of ambient levels of UV-B radiation on carotenoid accumulation. The aim was to investigate whether carotenoids could enhance TAC as a means of UV protection. Our results showed that leaf carotenoid content in the low UV-B exposure (+9.75 mW/cm 2 ) plants was approximately 8% higher than that observed in control plants at 2-8 days of exposure. At high UV-B exposure (+20.76 mW/cm 2 ), the carotenoid content increased rapidly after 1 day's exposure (10.41% higher than the control), followed by a return to the content as in control plants. Furthermore, carotenoid content positively correlated with TAC J. Shen et al.