Can the Giberella zeae toxin zearalenone affect the photosynthetic productivity and increase yield formation in spring wheat and soybean plants?

The seeds of soybean cv. Aldana and spring wheat cv. Torka were soaked for 24 h in solution of zearalenone [ZEN, 2,4-dihydroxy-6-(10-hydroxy-6-oxo-trans-1-undecenyl)-benzonic acid lactone, 4 mg dm(-3)] and then they were sown in the pot experiment in an open vegetation hall. The after-effects of ZEN on growth of plants, net photosynthetic (P (N)) and transpiration (E) rates, stomatal conductance (g (s)), photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) and on final seeds yield, were determined. A significant increase of seeds yield was revealed in plants of both cultivars i.e. by 22% and 19% of seed (grain) number and by 28 and 24% of seed (grain) mass, in soybean and in wheat, respectively. The photosynthetic rate (P (N)) was stimulated during the juvenile and final phase by about 13.6% (average) in soybean plants. During other developmental stages, assimilation of CO2 was retarded. The response of CO2 assimilation in wheat plants was less pronounced as compared to that in soybean, but an increase of P (N) by over 24% near the final stage of development was observed. The quantum yield of PSII electron transport (I broken vertical bar(PSII)) in soybean plants was changed after the treatment of seeds by ZEN similarly as for the rate of CO2, whereas in wheat it continued to gradually increase i.e. during the whole growth period. Changes of I broken vertical bar(PSII) both in soybean and in wheat plants, as the response to ZEN treatment, were accompanied with an increase in the efficiency of changes occurring within the antenna (F-v'/F-m') as well as within centres of photochemical reactions (q(p)). The conclusion is that ZEN can affect plant growth and development in many ways, as well as in the status and functioning of the photosynthetical apparatus. Some of the effects can be very longlasting, as e.g. stimulation of production of seed yield in response to treatment of seeds with this substance.