Phenolic antioxidants from the heartwood of Acacia confusa

In the present study, the ethanolic extracts from the heartwood of Acacia confusa, a species indigenous to Taiwan, exhibit strong antioxidant effects. Among all the fractions from ethanolic extracts of heartwood, the EtOAc soluble fraction exhibits the best antioxidant activity. The 80% 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical inhibitory activity by the EtOAc extract was observed at a concentration of 5 mug/mL, and at the same dosage there was a similar free radical scavenging activity for (-)-ascorbic acid and (+)-catechin, both of which are well-known antioxidants. In addition, the EtOAc extract also protects PhiX174 supercoiled DNA against strand scission induced by hydroxyl radical. Furthermore, following by column chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatorgrapy, 10 pure phenolic compounds, including three major antioxidants (3,7,8,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone, 7,8,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-3-methoxyflavone, and 3,4,2',3',4'-pentahydroxy-trans-chalcone) and a new flavonoid (3,7,8,3'-tetrahydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone), were isolated from the ethanolic extracts of A. confusa heartwood.     

Phenolic antioxidants from the leaves of Corchorus olitorius L.

Six phenolic antioxidative compounds [5-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, quercetin 3-galactoside, quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-(6-malonylglucoside), and quercetin 3-(6-malonylgalactoside) (tentative)] were identified from the leaves of Corchorus olitorius L. (moroheiya) by NMR and FAB-MS. The contents of these phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol in C. olitorius leaves were determined, and their antioxidative activities were measured using the radical generator-initiated peroxidation of linoleic acid. The results obtained showed that 5-caffeoylquinic acid was a predominant phenolic antioxidant in C. olitorius leaves.     

Antioxidant activities of black and yellow soybeans against low density lipoprotein oxidation

Several studies have demonstrated that the daily intakes of soy foods were associated with a reduced cardiovascular risk. The aim of our study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of black soybeans on low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in comparison to yellow soybeans. The extract from black soybean had a longer LDL oxidation lag time than that from yellow soybean (205 +/- 16 and 65 +/- 3 min, respectively). When both soybeans were divided into the seed coat and the mixture of the germ and cotyledon, the diluted extract solution from the black soybean seed coat prolonged the lag time significantly more than the original extract of the yellow soybean seed coat. On the other hand, antioxidant effects of the extract from the mixture of germs and cotyledons were similar in both soybeans. Regarding total polyphenol contents, the seed coat of black soybean had a higher polyphenol content than that of yellow soybean (29.0 +/- 0.56 and 0.45 +/- 0.02 mg/g, respectively). Interestingly, the mixture of the germ and cotyledon hydrolyzed by beta-glucosidase in both soybeans showed a stronger inhibitory effect on LDL oxidation than that before being hydrolyzed by beta-glucosidase. These results suggest that black soybeans may be more effective in inhibiting LDL oxidation than yellow soybeans because of total polyphenols contents in its seed coat. In addition, aglycones, which are rich in soybeans fermented or hydrolyzed by beta-glucosidase, may play a crucial role in the prevention of oxidation-related diseases.     

Antioxidant activities of phenolic acids on ultraviolet radiation-induced erythrocyte and low density lipoprotein oxidation

The exposure of mammalian cells to UV light induces various deleterious responses. Some of the major harmful effects are DNA damage, cell membrane peroxidation, systemic immune suppression, and aging acceleration. Reactive oxygen species and free radicals are believed to be largely responsible for some of the deleterious effects of UV upon cells. Typical administration of antioxidants has recently proved to represent a successful strategy for protecting the cells against UV-mediated oxidative damage. The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of phenolic acids (caffeic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, and protocatechuic acid) on oxidative damage in human erythrocytes and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) induced by UVB radiation. The results revealed that the thiobarbituric acids reactive substances induced by UVB were decreased from 2.78 to 0.12-0.89 nmol MDA/mg protein in erythrocyte ghost and from 0.72 to 0.14-0.43 nmol MDA/mg protein in LDL by the addition of phenolic acids (100 muM). Caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and gallic acid exhibited over 85 and 60% inhibitory effect toward UVB-induced oxidation in erythrocytes and LDL, respectively. Phenolic acids, especially gallic acid, could maintain the normal glutathione levels and glutathione peroxidase activity in hemolysate from erythrocytes that were exposed to UVB radiation in comparison with untreated control. The results indicate that the antioxidant activities of caffeic acid and ferulic acid play a potential role in protection against UVB oxidative damage to human erythrocytes and LDL.     

Phenolic and triterpenoid antioxidants from Origanum majorana L. herb and extracts obtained with different solvents

Antioxidant properties of marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) herb and extracts obtained with ethanol, n-hexane, and supercritical CO2 extraction are presented. Individual antioxidants, ursolic acid, carnosic acid, and carnosol, were quantified with high-performance liquid chromatography. The effects of different parameters (temperature and pressure) of high-pressure extraction on the yield of carnosol were studied. Furthermore, two marjoram herbs from Hungary and Egypt were compared measuring hydrogen-donating abilities with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl by spectrophotometric and the total scavenger capacities by chemiluminometric methods from the aqueous extracts of the herbs. The antioxidant activities of the solvent extracts were performed using the Rancimat method. The Egyptian herb and its extracts possessed better antioxidant activities than Hungarian ones. Applying supercritical CO2 extraction, the highest value of carnosol was obtained at 400 bar and 60 degrees C.     

Phenolic antioxidants (hydrolyzable tannins, flavonols, and anthocyanins) identified by LC-ESI-MS and MALDI-QIT-TOF MS from Rosa chinensis flowers

Rosa chinensis (Yuejihua) is a well-known ornamental plant, and its flowers are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. Methanolic crude extracts of dried R. chinensis flowers were used for simultaneous determination of phenolic constituents by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-QIT-TOF MS). A total of 36 known and unknown phenolics were identified as hydrolyzable tannins, flavonols, and anthocyanins, mainly including gallotannins (mono-, di-, or trigalloylglucopyranosides), ellagitannins, quercetin, quercetin/kaempferol mono- and diglycosides, and cyanidin/pelargonidin diglycosides. MALDI-QIT-TOF MS was applied not only to verify most phenolics isolated and identified by LC-MS but also to tentatively identify two ellagitannins (rugosins B and C) not isolated and unidentified by LC-MS. This study is the first to demonstrate the rapid and successful use of MALDI-QIT-TOF MS and LC-MS to directly and simultaneously identify phenolics in the crude extracts of R. chinensis flowers without any purification. The antioxidant activity of the crude extracts from R. chinensis flowers was also measured with three assay methods. The results showed that the phenolic antioxidants from R. chinensis flowers exhibited very strong radical scavenging effect and antioxidant power. High levels of flavonols and hydrolyzable tannins might be important bioactive principles in the dried R. chinensis flowers.     

Short-term CO2 emissions from planted soil subject to elevated CO2 and simulated precipitation

Carbon dioxide emissions from soils beneath canopies of two Mediterranean plants, Artemisia absinthium L. and Festuca pratensis Huds. cv. Demeter, were monitored over a 7-day period that included an artificial precipitation event of 4 cm. The experiments were conducted using 0.2 m³ soil microcosms inside greenhouses with CO₂ concentrations of either 360 or 500 μmol mol⁻¹. Carbon dioxide flux from the soil surface, as calculated using a diffusive transport model agreed well with CO₂ flux measurements made using a dynamic flow system. Soil CO₂ emissions did not differ significantly between the 360 and 500 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂ treatments when soils were dry (volumetric soil moisture content ≤9%). A simulated precipitation event caused an immediate exhalation of CO₂ from soil, after which CO₂ emissions declined slightly and remained constant for approximately 36 h. CO₂ emissions from soil microcosms with F. pratensis plants growing in 500 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂ then rose to levels that were significantly greater than CO₂ emissions from soils in the microcosms exposed to 360 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂. For A. absinthium growing in 500 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂, the rise in soil CO₂ emissions following the wetting event was not significantly greater than emissions from soils with A. absinthium growing under 360 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂. A. absinthium above ground biomass increased by 46.1 ± 17.9% (mean ± S.E., n = 4, P ≤ 0.05). Above ground biomass did not significantly increase for F. pratensis (14.4 ± 6.5%, P ≥ 0.10). Root biomass, on the other hand, increased for both species; by 50.6 ± 17.9% (P ≤ 0.05) for A. absinthium and by 55.9 ± 12.7% (P ≤ 0.05) for F. pratensis. Our results demonstrate two events following precipitation onto dry soils, an immediate release of CO₂ followed by a gradual increase from enhanced biological activity The gradual increase was greater for the herbaceous ruderal perennial F. pratensis under elevated CO₂.     

Soy and alfalfa phytoestrogen extracts become potent low-density lipoprotein antioxidants in the presence of acerola cherry extract

Postmenopausal women have an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been implicated in atherogenesis, and the presence of modified LDL (LDL(-)) in plasma appears to represent LDL oxidation in vivo. Because previous studies have demonstrated a strong antiatherogenic effect of estrogen due to its antioxidant activity and similar antioxidant activity was found for specific isoflavones derived from soy extract, the antioxidant activity of a phytoestrogen extract derived from soy and alfalfa was studied. Copper-mediated LDL oxidation was inhibited in the presence of soy and alfalfa extracts, and this effect was further enhanced in the presence of acerola cherry extract, which is rich in ascorbic acid. Male rabbit aortic endothelial cells pretreated with soy extract were resistant to the toxic effects of high levels of LDL and LDL(-), and a lesser, but significant protection, was also afforded by alfalfa extract. Cell-mediated oxidation of LDL, measured by LDL(-) formation, was inhibited in the presence of soy extract but not alfalfa extract. However, in the presence of acerola cherry extract, both soy and alfalfa extracts potently inhibited the formation of LDL(-). These findings show that acerola cherry extract can enhance the antioxidant activity of soy and alfalfa extracts in a variety of LDL oxidation systems. The protective effect of these extracts is attributed to the presence of flavonoids in soy and alfalfa extracts and ascorbic acid in acerola cherry extract, which may act synergistically as antioxidants. It is postulated that this synergistic interaction among phytoestrogens, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid is due to the "peroxidolitic" action of ascorbic acid, which facilitates the copper-dependent decomposition of LDL peroxides to nonradical products; this synergy is complemented by a mechanism in which phytoestrogens stabilize the LDL structure and suppress the propagation of radical chain reactions. The combination of these extracts markedly lowers the concentrations of phytoestrogens required to achieve significant antioxidant activity toward LDL.     

CO2 efflux by rapid decomposition of low molecular organic substances in soils

Decomposition rates of the [2-¹⁴C]-glucose and [2-¹⁴C]-glycine in four different soils of the long-term field trial of Moscow were investigated in a 3-months laboratory experiment in which ¹⁴CO₂ respiration was measured. A model with three decomposition components and two distribution parameters was developed and validated with the data of the experiment. The decay rate constants of free [2-¹⁴C]-glucose (4–32 day^-1) were slower than those of [2-¹⁴C]-glycine (16–44 day^-1). The calculated use efficiency for microbial biosynthesis of the second carbon atom was 47% for glucose and 31% for glycine. The potential half-life of labelled carbon in the microbial soil biomass ranged from 0.6 to 4.4 days, depending on the soil type and the initial amount of added substrate. The calculated total utilisation of carbon by the soil biomass from glycine was about 2–5 times lower than that of glucose.The modelled ¹⁴C incorporation into the microbial soil biomass reached its maximum on the first day of the incubation experiment and did not exceed 22% of the ¹⁴C input. Both of the investigated substances decomposed most rapidly in the soil samples from sites that have not being fertilised with organic or mineral fertilisers during an 81-years period.     

乙醇对红枣片CO2低温压差膨化干燥品质的影响

为了提高红枣的干燥品质,探究乙醇喷雾浸润预处理对膨化干燥效果的影响,该研究利用渗入红枣的高压CO2及乙醇作为动力源对红枣片进行低温高压渗透膨化干燥。以单因素试验为基础,对比研究预处理方式为无处理、热风干燥、乙醇喷雾浸润的 CO2低温压差膨化干燥、水分闪蒸干燥的膨化干燥品质及理化特性。优化枣片在乙醇喷润预处理方式下CO2低温压差膨化干燥工艺,研究乙醇喷雾浸润后含湿率、膨化压差、膨化温度、抽真空时长等因素对枣的膨化度、脆度、硬度、复水比的影响。结果表明,优化工艺为：乙醇浸润后含湿率19.3%、膨化压差1.08 MPa、膨化温度81.26 ℃、抽真空干燥时长151.13 min,膨化度为3.48,硬度为1 717.06 g,脆度为3 675.89 g,复水比为2.21。扫描电镜显示,乙醇具有溶解细胞壁成分的能力,可以改变结构来增加其渗透性,使CO2充分进入枣片中增大膨化动力,形成更有规律更大的孔隙。水和乙醇混合物的汽化热低于水的汽化热,与预处理方式为无处理、热风干燥的CO2低温压差膨化干燥及水分闪蒸干燥方法比较,乙醇浸润预处理可以表现出更好的膨化度、色泽、维生素 C 含量和显著缩短的干燥时间（P<0.05）。因此,乙醇喷雾浸润预处理后进行CO2低温压差膨化干燥是一种高效的干燥技术,所得的枣脆片品质较好。研究结果为红枣片的干燥品质及工艺优化分析提供了一定的理论基础。     

Phenolic antioxidants and antiatherogenic effects of Marula (Sclerocarrya birrea Subsp. caffra) fruit juice in healthy humans

Antioxidant activity and composition of Israeli-grown marula ( Sclerocarrya birrea subsp. caffra) fruit juice and health-promoting aspects of juice consumption on serum lipids and lipoproteins pattern in healthy volunteers were studied. Marula juice was found to contain high vitamin C and potassium levels and low sugar concentration (267 mg dL (-1), 328 mg dL (-1), and 7.3 g dL (-1), respectively). The juice contains a significant level of phenolics (56 mg of pyrogallol equiv dL (-1)) and was found to be a potent antioxidant (382 mg of vitamin C equiv dL (-1)). The antioxidant activity was resistant to pasteurization regimens and long-term freezing and slowly decreased during refrigeration, losing up to 14% of its capacity after 4 weeks. Three-week administration of the juice as a food supplement to healthy subjects significantly reduced their serum total cholesterol (by 8%), LDL-cholesterol concentration (by 17%), and triglyceride level (by 7%), increased their serum HDL-cholesterol level (by 10%), and attenuated serum oxidative stress. Upon a 4 week "washout" period, most of these parameters returned toward baseline values. Separation of the juice soluble phenolics by HPLC produced potent antioxidant fractions, tentatively containing hydrolyzable tannins, catechins, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, which could be responsible for the observed protection against atherosclerosis risk factors following marula fruit juice consumption.     

菜地土壤CO2与N2O排放特征及其规律

为了解不同集约化类型菜地土壤CO2和N2O排放特征及影响因子,选取京郊20年露地老菜地(OV20)、3年菜地种植历史的露地新菜地(OV3)、3年大棚菜地(GV3),以及相邻的当地典型粮田玉米地(Maize)4个类型地块,研究了春黄瓜生育期间土壤CO2和N2O排放特征及影响因子。结果表明:1)春黄瓜生育期间的土壤CO2排放通量主要受土壤5 cm处温度(指数关系)和土壤水分(对数关系或二次抛物线关系)影响;期间玉米地土壤CO2平均排放通量为(346.8±56.5)mg.m-2.h-1,20年露地菜地、3年露地菜地有机肥处理、3年露地菜地配施处理、3年大棚菜地的土壤CO2平均排放通量分别是玉米地的1.38、1.21、1.39和1.56倍。2)土壤N2O排放通量与施肥活动密切相关,排放高峰都出现在氮肥施用后,并受土壤温度和水分的影响。基肥后土壤温度低(15～20℃),排放峰出现在第5 d,排放峰持续时间(长达20 d)与施肥量相关;追肥后土壤温度高(>20℃),排放高峰发生早(追肥后第3 d),但因追肥用量低,因此持续时间短(仅一周)。3)黄瓜生长期内玉米地N2O累积排放量为N(1.95±0.10)kg.hm-2,20年老菜地、3年大棚菜地和3年新菜地N2O累积排放量分别是同期大田玉米地的1.67、1.95和1.99倍。4)本实验中春黄瓜生长季菜地土壤化肥氮N2O排放系数在1.86%～4.71%之间,显著高于IPCC旱地排放缺省值1%。其中,新菜地排放系数高于老菜地,设施菜地排放系数高于露地菜地;但有机肥氮的N2O排放系数则远远低于化肥氮的排放系数,仅为0.11%。     

CO2-emissions from agriculture: Sources and mitigation potentials

In 1991/92, the subgroup “Agriculture and Forestry” of the IPCC Working Group III developed an update of its earlier statements in the first IPCC-Report, concerning the release of greenhouse gases from agriculture. The present paper is an extract from this updated IPCC Supplement, concentrating on the CO₂ emissions from agriculture and its potentials for mitigation.     

Production of volatile compounds by Fuji apples following exposure to high CO2 or low O2

The emission of volatile compounds by Fuji apples following short- or long-term exposure to high CO(2) was studied. The production of ethanol, methyl and ethyl esters, octanal, nonanal, and decanal was enhanced while the production of C(3)-C(6) alcohols, propyl, butyl, pentyl, and hexyl esters and butanal decreased in fruit exposed to 10 kPa O(2) + 20 kPa CO(2) at 20 degrees C for up to 12 days. The impact of high CO(2) exposure on volatile production was dependent on fruit maturity at harvest. Apples stored for 8 months in an ultralow O(2)-controlled atmosphere (CA) (0.5 kPa O(2) + 0.05 kPa CO(2)) or high CO(2) CA (1.5 kPa O(2) + 3 kPa CO(2)) at 0.5 degrees C had reduced production of most volatiles, especially butyl and hexyl esters, as compared to fruit stored in air. Two exceptions were ethanol and ethyl acetate for which the production was enhanced by both CA regimes. Treatment with the antioxidant diphenylamine prior to storage prevented most of the high CO(2)-induced and ultralow O(2)-induced changes in volatile production. The results of this study do not indicate that changes in volatile production following the exposure of Fuji apples to high CO(2) are causally related to the development of CO(2) injury.     

Assessment of the production of antioxidants from winemaking waste solids

Winemaking waste solids (WS, resulting from red grapes after fermentation and distillation to recover spirits) were subjected to various processing schemes for isolating fractions with antioxidant activity. The liquors entrapped in WS as received were separated by pressing and freeze-dried to yield a fraction with antioxidant activity (measured as DPPH radical scavenging capacity) comparable to those of synthetic antioxidants. A second approach based on the direct processing of raw WS in sulfuric acid medium under fixed operational conditions and further extraction of hydrolysis liquors with ethyl acetate enabled the isolation of a fraction with higher antioxidant ability at an improved yield. The most favorable approach started with a washing stage leading to liquors (which were directly freeze-dried to yield 1.20 g of extract/100 g of oven-dry WS and presented an EC50 of 0.41 g of extract/L) and washed solids, which were dried and subjected to hydrolytic processing (i) with water as a reactive in an autocatalyzed reaction (autohydrolysis) or (ii) with sulfuric acid solutions to give an ethyl acetate-soluble fraction with improved antioxidant properties (EC50 in the range of 0.18-0.40 g/L). Samples from washing liquors and processing of washed solids in aqueous medium were subjected to chromatographic fractionation and analysis to give isolates with remarkable antioxidant activity (with EC50 as low as 0.07 g/L) and to identify their major components.     

Contribution of plant root respiration to the CO2 emission from soil

The respiration activity of roots was studied in field experiments on gray forest and soddy-podzolic soils and under cropland and natural vegetation. It was shown that the contribution of roots to the CO₂ emission from the soil surface depends significantly on the method of determination. The contributions of fine and coarse roots to the total root respiration were approximately similar in forest ecosystems. The use of the method of substrate-induced respiration made it possible to obtain the best estimates of the contributions of root respiration and respiration of microorganisms. The application of glucose in the form of a dry mixture with sand or talc instead of in the water-soluble form appeared to be the optimal procedure for determining the root respiration under field moisture conditions.     

Assessment of some soil thermal conductivity models via variations in temperature and bulk density at low moisture range

Simulation of heat transfer in soil under steady and unsteady situations requires reliable estimate of soil thermal conductivity (λ) at varying environmental conditions. In the current work several soil thermal conductivity predicting models including I) de Vries, II) Campbell, III) combined de Vries and Campbell and IV) de Vries-Nobre were evaluated for the four soils of coarse sand, sandy loam, loam and clay loam textured at varying in temperature and bulk density at low moisture range. Thermal conductivities measured by the cylindrical probe method served as the reference for models assessment. Results showed that approximately same thermal conductivities obtained by the five methods at low moisture range (θ ≤ 0.05 m³/m³). Also the de Vries and de Vries-Campbell models produced accurate than Campbell and de vries-Nobre models. The accuracy of the two models increased with soil compaction but decreased with temperature rise. Campbell model showed more reliability at higher (311.16 and 321.16 K) temperatures; but its accuracy declined with soil compaction in current work. It seems that assuming needle shape for the soil particles is far away from the reality whereas assuming spherical shapes may be more realistic and produced more satisfactory prediction of thermal conductivity. The compaction would alter particle arrangement and may increase the contact area of particles; and then make them behave more or less spherical shape.it seems thermal conductivity in solid particles increase via increasing in temperature. Since a modified mineral shape factor, g_m, was developed as a combination between sphere and needle according to geometric mean particle diameter as well as bulk density and temperature as modifying factors. This factor increased the accuracy of de Vries-Nobre model up to 10.37%. Regarding nonlinear regression model, moisture content, bulk density, temperature and quartz content demonstrated significant effect on soil thermal conductivity in our investigation.     

Conservation and the low population density of invertebrates inside neotropical rain forest

Counts of invertebrates by sweep-netting and beating the stratum of rain forest vegetation between 6 in (15 cm) and 6 ft (1·8 m) have been made during rainy season conditions in N. Brasil and on Barro Colorado Island, Panama Canal, the latter from measured volumes of habitat. This work has been repeated on BCI during the dry season. The average population densities of total catches were 0·97 m³ for rainy season and 1·09 m³ for dry season. Species diversity was very high, therefore numbers per species extremely low. It is suggested that such low population density brings hazards of local extinction, and that the maintenance of such a system depends on the existence of extensive habitat from which recolonisation can occur. If this is so, reserves in rain forest will have to be very large, to ensure long-term survival of many of the invertebrate species.     

Aroma volatility from aqueous sucrose solutions at low and subzero temperatures

The gas-liquid partition coefficients of ethyl acetate and ethyl hexanoate have been measured in water and aqueous sucrose solutions from 25 to -10 degrees C by dynamic headspace. Experiments were carried out on sucrose solutions at temperatures where no ice formation was possible. Results showed that when sucrose concentration increased, aroma volatility increased except for ethyl hexanoate and in the highest sucrose concentration solution (57.5%). A quasi-linear temperature decrease on aroma volatility was observed in sucrose solutions from 25 to around 4 and 0 degrees C. Then, from 0 to -10 degrees C, aroma volatility did not decrease: ethyl acetate volatility remained constant but that of ethyl hexanoate increased. Enthalpy of vaporization and activity coefficients of the aroma compounds were calculated.     

Sulfur dioxide inhibition of photosynthesis at different CO2 and O2 concentrations in relation to photorespiration

The mechanism of SO₂ inhibition of photosynthesis in intact leaves of tomato and maze was studied to evaluate SO₂ inhibition of photorespiration. Leaf tissues were fumigated with SO₂ under photorespiratory (low CO, and/or high O, concentrations) and non-photo-respiratory conditions. When tomato leaf disks were fumigated with 10 ppm SO₂ at 2, 21 and 100° o O., SO₂ inhibited photosynthesis at 2% O₂ in the same degrees as at 21% O₂. SO₂ inhibition of photosynthesis was depressed at higher CO₂ concentrations when the disks were fumigated with SO₂ at different CO₂ concentrations. High CO₂ concentrations also reduced the photosynthesis inhibition of maize leaf disks. These results suggest that SO₂ inhibits photosynthesis through other mechanisms than photorespiration inhibition and confirm the view that SO₂ competes with CO₂ for the carboxylating enzymes in photosynthesis