Abstract
In the present study to investigate the anatomical changes, physiological and biochemical parameters, Capsicum frutescens L. grown under different levels of ozone (two different polluted locations) with or without combination of ascorbic acid (AA) were investigated. The results indicate that the AA treatment as well as the combination of the second power plant (SPP II) +AA had the great effect on the growth responses of pepper. The highest plant height was affected significantly (P<0.0001) by SPP II+AA (52.66+/-7.50 cm plant(-1)) followed by AA (27.33+/-2.51 cm plant(-1)) and the lowest highest was found by SPP II (16.66+/-2.08 cm plant(-1)). Most of the growth parameters were enhanced with the combination of AA with SPPII. most of the stomatal parameters and wood vessels of the planted grown in the locations with high level of O-3 in comparisons with the control plants. For example the St. U.E. No and St. U.E.L were highly affected in plants grown in SPP II with the values of 6.00+/-0.50 mu and 20.44+/-1.71 mu, respectively. The plants planted in SIC II which exposed to approximately 92 ppb of O-3, exhibited significantly (P<0.0001) higher Chlorophyll a (24.85+/-1.72 mg g(-1) FW), Chlorophyll b (7.52+/-2.05 mg g(-1) FW) and total Chlorophyll (39.77+/-4.84 mg g(-1) FW). The carotenoid level was affected significantly by the treatment of SPP II+AA (i.e. 8.12+/-0.90 mg g(-1) FW), while the plants didn't show any significant for the determination of proline (P=0.3447). Under O-3 stress, plants showed lowest growth parameters.