Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 February 2015
Snap bean genotypes (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with different ozone (O3) sensitivities (line S156: O3-sensitive; line R123: O3-tolerant) were grown for 70 days with or without inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi under ambient (CAMB = 20 nanolitres (nl)/l and elevated (CMID = '50 nl/l and CHIG = 80 nl/l) O3. Sequential determinations (leaf injury, pigment concentration, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthesis, etc) were carried out during plant growth to evaluate mycorrhizal influence on the photosynthetic function of the two genotypes under elevated O3. Inoculation with AM fungi alleviated leaf injury in both genotypes and delayed time of injury manifestation (TIM) in the R123 line at the blooming stage (growth stage (GS): 61-65 (Zadoks scale, Zadoks et al. 1974), 30–35 days after the onset of O3 fumigation), but mycorrhizal effect was slight at the initial growth stage (GS 11–13, 0–5 days after onset of O3 fumigation). Relative to the non-mycorrhizal plant, AM fungi inoculation increased the concentrations of chlorophyll (Chl) a, Chl b and carotenoids in S156 plants, regardless of O3 levels, while in R123 plants a similar effect was observed only in the CAMB treatment. At the blooming (GS 61–65) and the pod filling (GS 71–77, 45–50 days after starting O3 fumigation) stages, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate for the two genotypes decreased with elevated O3 in all treatments, although the effect was reduced in CAMB and CMID treatments in AM-inoculated plants; however, the mycorrhizal effect was slight in the CHIG treatment. Intercellular carbon dioxide concentration increased with elevated O3 regardless of AM fungi inoculation, but it was lower in the mycorrhizal plants than in the non-mycorrhizal plants, in most cases. Furthermore, AM fungi inoculation significantly increased the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (PS II) photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and electron transport rate in both genotypes in the CHIG treatment. The present study indicated that in some cases, AM fungi inoculation can enhance plant tolerance to elevated O3 through improving plant photosynthetic function, but the effect was reduced by serious O3 stress.