UV-B response of greening barley seedlings.

The relationship between the greening stage of barley seedlings and their response to UV-B irradiation was studied. Etiolated barley seedlings ( Hordeum vulgare L., cv. Alfa) greened 12, 24 and 48 h were exposed to UV-B irradiation (312 nm) for 5 h. As a result of UV-B treatment the rate of CO(2) fixation and chlorophyll contents decreased but flavonoids, UV-B-induced compounds and carotenoids increased. The inhibition of photosynthesis in green plants was lower in comparison to greening ones. The 12 h greening plants were more sensitive to UV-B treatment than the plants greening 24 h and particularly 48 h, estimated by the quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry and the oxygen production rate. The levels of flavonoids and UV-B induced compounds enhanced with increasing the greening time. Activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase increased during the seedlings greening and as a result of UV-B irradiation, but the pattern of isoforms remained similar to those found in the controls. UV-B preferentially induced Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase. Increase of UVB induced synthesis of antioxidant enzymes is in line with their important role in the plant response to UV-B stress. Data presented show that the response of barley seedlings to UV-B irradiation is related to the development stage of photosynthetic apparatus.