Tolerance of fifteen hydroponic ornamental plant species to formaldehyde stress

Liping Wang; Qianqian Sheng; Yanli Zhang; Jingyuan Xu; Huihui Zhang; Zunling Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115003

Tolerance of fifteen hydroponic ornamental plant species to formaldehyde stress

Environ Pollut. 2020 Oct;265(Pt B):115003. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115003. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Authors

Liping Wang¹, Qianqian Sheng², Yanli Zhang³, Jingyuan Xu⁴, Huihui Zhang⁴, Zunling Zhu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Southern Modern Forestry Cooperation and Innovation Center, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210037, PR China; Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum Administration Bureau, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210014, PR China.
² Southern Modern Forestry Cooperation and Innovation Center, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210037, PR China; College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210037, PR China. Electronic address: qqs@njfu.edu.cn.
³ Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX, 75962, USA.
⁴ Southern Modern Forestry Cooperation and Innovation Center, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210037, PR China; College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210037, PR China.
⁵ Southern Modern Forestry Cooperation and Innovation Center, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210037, PR China; College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210037, PR China; College of Art and Design, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210037, PR China. Electronic address: zhuzunling@njfu.edu.cn.

PMID: 32806450
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115003

Abstract

An indoor formaldehyde enriched environment was created by an automatic fumigation system with timing and concentration control. Selected hydroponic plant species were exposed in formaldehyde concentrations of 10 mg m^-3, 50 mg m^-3 and 100 mg m^-3 respectively for 6 days with 10-h-treatment each day. Changes in morphological characteristics including leaf damage rate, leaf damage time and survival rate were monitored to evaluate morphological resistance to formaldehyde. Assessed physiological parameters were leaf chlorophyll content (Chl), leaf malondialdehyde content (MDA), activity of leaf formaldehyde dehydrogenase (FADH), leaf water soluble sugar content (WSS), and leaf proline content (Pro). Under formaldehyde suppression, reduction of Chl and increase of MDA and Pro were observed. Varying by species, FADH and WSS peaked at certain formaldehyde concentrations. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method was adopted to evaluate key factors in hydroponic plants' tolerance to formaldehyde. Among the 15 species selected, the best 5 performing species are Spathiphyllum floribundum, Alocasia cucullata, Davallia bullata, Syngonium podophyllum 'Pixie', and Schefflera octophylla. The study helps people to select the best ornamental plants for indoor air pollution control. The response of hydroponic plant species to formaldehyde was studied for eco-friendly indoor air pollution control.

Keywords: Formaldehyde tolerance; Hydroponic plant; Morphological response; Physiological response.

MeSH terms

Chlorophyll
Formaldehyde*
Hydroponics
Plant Leaves
Plants*

Substances

Chlorophyll
Formaldehyde