Ultraviolet Radiation and Its Effects on Plants

Abstract

Ultraviolet radiation is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 10 to 400 nm, classified into three main categories: UV-A (320–400 nm), UV-B (280–320 nm), and UV-C (100–280 nm). The UV radiation from the sun that crosses the atmosphere and reaches the earth’s surface is composed largely of UV-A radiation (95%) and, to a lesser extent, UV-B (5%), which is normally filtered by stratospheric ozone. With the thinning of the ozone layer, UV-B radiation penetrates deeper into the earth’s surface, where it becomes dangerous due to its high energy content that acts at the molecular level, affecting the cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements, thus, having a direct impact on global warming. On the other hand, UV radiation alters numerous essential organic compounds for living organisms. Since its discovery, it has been established that e UV-B causes alterations in plant development and metabolism, both primary and secondary. In this chapter, we summarize the current knowledge about the effects of UV radiation on the morphological, biochemical, and genetic processes in plants.