Ethylene‐promoted ascorbate peroxidase activity protects plants against hydrogen peroxide, ozone and paraquat

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Abstract
In experiments where mung beans (Vigna radiata L.) and peas (Pisum sativum L.) have been pre‐exposed to ethylene and afterwards treated with ozone, it has been shown that such ethylenepretreated plants may become more resistant to ozone. Further experiments with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the herbicide paraquat suggest that this increased resistance against ozone depends on the stimulation of ascorbate peroxidase activity which provides cells with increased resistance against the formation of H2O2 which is also formed when plants are fumigated with ozone. These results explain why increased production of ethylene can be observed in plants exposed with ozone or other oxidative stress and clearly demonstrate that in plants, as well as animals, peroxidases protect cells against harmful concentrations of hydroperoxides.