Response of ornamental plants, study sites and their interaction to various pollutants in respect of secondary metabolites, enzymes and proline content

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during the year 2020 at four study sites. Corresponding to biochemical traits, peroxidase activity recorded was maximum in OP-13 (87.99 ΔOD min -1 g -1 FW) among plants, S3 (28.74 ΔOD min -1 g -1 FW) among sites. None of the OP X S interactions had significant effect on this trait. Highest catalase activity of 63.48 µmol H2O2 min. -1 g -1 FW was observed in OP-15 among plants, S3 (27.98 µmol H2O2 min -1 g -1 FW) among sites. This attribute had no significant influence among interaction treatments. OP-4 had maximum phenol content of 25.34 mg 100g -1 among plants, S3 (6.87 mg 100g -1 ) among sites and OP-4 X S3 (26.08 mg 100g -1 ) in interactins. Flavonoid content observed to be higher in OP-4 (1.86 mg 100 g -1 ) among plants, S3 (1.47 mg 100 g -1 ) among sites and OP-1 X S3 (2.50 mg100 g -1 ) among interaction combinations. Significantly higher proline content was recorded in OP-3 (158.76 μg g -1 ) among plants, S3 (37.94 μg g -1 ) among areas and OP-3 X S3 (183.00 μg g -1 ) among interactions. Malondialdehyde content recorded was highest in OP-15 (3.66 nmol MDA g -1 ) among species, S3 (2.02 nmol MDA g -1 ) among sites. OP X S combinations showed non significant influence on MDA content.