The use of physiological characteristics for comparison of organic compounds phytotoxicity Original Research Article

The influence of intact (FLT) and photomodified (phFLT) fluoranthene (0.05, 0.5 and 5 μmol l−1) and herbicide Basagran (5, 20, 35 and 50 nmol l−1) on the germination, growth of seedlings and photosynthetic processes in pea plants (Pisum sativum L., cv. Garde) was investigated. The germination was significantly inhibited already by the lowest concentration (0.05 μmol l−1) of FLT and phFLT, while Basagran caused inhibition only in higher concentrations (35 and 50 nmol l−1). The growth of roots was significantly inhibited by higher concentration 5 μmol l−1 of both FLT and phFLT and the shoot of seedlings was significantly influenced only by photomodified form. The length of root and shoot was inhibited already by concentration 5 nmol l−1 of Basagran. Organic compounds applied on chloroplasts suspension influenced primary photochemical processes of photosynthesis. In chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, the significant increase of F0 values and the decrease of FV/FM and ΦII values by application of FLT (0.5 and 5 μmol l−1) and phFLT (0.05, 0.5 and 5 μmol l−1) was recorded. The maximum capacity of PSII (FV/FM) was influenced by the highest (50 nmol l−1) and the effective quantum yield of PSII (ΦII) already by the lowest (5 nmol l−1) concentration of Basagran. Hill reaction activity decreased and was significantly inhibited by higher concentration (0.5 and 5 μmol l−1) of FLT and phFLT and already by the lowest concentration (5 nmol l−1) of Basagran.