Exogenous application of chemicals for protecting plants against ambient ozone pollution: What should come next?

Costas J Saitanis; Evgenios Agathokleous

doi:10.1016/j.coesh.2020.10.003

Exogenous application of chemicals for protecting plants against ambient ozone pollution: What should come next?

Curr Opin Environ Sci Health. 2021 Feb:19:100215. doi: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020.10.003. Epub 2020 Oct 14.

Authors

Costas J Saitanis¹, Evgenios Agathokleous²

Affiliations

¹ Agricultural University of Athens, Lab of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 75 Iera Odos Str., TK 11855, Athens, Greece.
² Key Laboratory of Agrometeorology of Jiangsu Province, Institute of Ecology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China.

Abstract

Elevated ground-level ozone (O₃) pollution can adversely affect plants and inhibit plant growth and productivity, threatening food security and ecological health. It is therefore essential to develop measures to protect plants against O₃-induced adverse effects. Here we summarize the current status of phytoprotection against O₃-induced adverse effects and consider recent scientific and engineering advances, to provide a novel perspective for maximizing plant health while reducing environmental/ecological risks in an O₃-polluted world. We suggest that nanoscience and nanotechnology can provide a new dimension in the protection of plants against O₃-induced adverse effects, and recommend that new studies are based upon a green chemistry perspective.

Keywords: Air pollution; Environmental health; Hormesis; Nanoherbicides; Ozone; Plant protection.

Publication types

Review