Short-term changes of fructans in ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum 'Lema') in response to urban air pollutants and meteorological conditions.

We investigated whether the fructan content, a storage carbohydrate, of Lolium multiflorum 'Lema' plants grown in a subtropical urban environment characterized by typical diurnal profiles of air pollutants and meteorological conditions changed over the course of a day during different seasons. Plants were collected every 2h on the last day of each two-month seasonal field experiment and separated into shoot (stubble or stubble+leaf blades) and roots for carbohydrate analyses and biomass determination. Diurnal contents of total fructose in the stubbles increased with high temperatures.

Leaf antioxidant fluctuations and growth responses in saplings of Caesalpinia echinata Lam. (brazilwood) under an urban stressing environment.

We intended to establish how efficient the leaf antioxidant responses of C. echinata are against oxidative environmental conditions observed in an urban environment and their relations to growth and biomass parameters. Plants were grown for 15 months in four sites: Congonhas and Pinheiros, affected by pollutants from vehicular emissions; Ibirapuera, affected by high O(3) concentrations; and a greenhouse with filtered air.

Sub-tropical urban environment affecting content and composition of non-structural carbohydrates of Lolium multiflorum ssp. italicum cv. Lema.

This study analyzed the relationship between environmental factors, especially air pollution and climatic conditions, and non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in plants of Lolium multiflorum exposed during 10 consecutive periods of 28 days at a polluted site (Congonhas) and at a reference site in São Paulo city (Brazil). After exposure, NSC composition and leaf concentrations of Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd were measured. The seasonal pattern of NSC accumulation was quite similar in both sites, but plants at Congonhas showed higher concentrations of these compounds, especially fructans of low and medium degree of polymerization.