Ozone Tolerance and Hormesis: Essential Trait for Global Food Security.
Ozone air pollution is a global limiting factor to major crops, such as Wheat, corn, rice, soybean. Ambient ozone levels are increasing globally as a result of burning fossil fuel, and the emitted ozone precursors travelling around the globe. Ozone formed from these precursors is a toxic gas to human, animals and plants, however, plants are the most sensitive group. Ambient ozone levels are high enough to damage plant cells and reduce their photosynthesis and yield. In wheat alone, we lose 70 million tons annually because of high ambient ozone levels above the threshold of 40 parts per billion. Ozone-stressed plants are also more susceptible to diseases, making the situation even worse.
Ozone levels in China, India and the Mediterranean area are significantly high and rapidly increasing. These are the areas where we need more food to be produced in order to maintain global food security. Ozone levels in those areas are significantly high for most of the major crops. Selecting varieties with ozone tolerance is essential for food security there. Ozone tolerance is the ability to maintain high yield under high ozone. On the other hand, in most of Europe and North America, ozone levels are stabilizing around the threshold. The use of varieties that shows ozone hormetic responses (yields more under moderate ozone levels) in these areas could result in yield increase, or at least prevent yield loss.
Although wheat is mainly a very sensitive crop to ozone, it is a very diverse and robust. Wheat varieties with ozone tolerance were identified by screening a wide range of the germplasm. Some breeding lines showed ozone tolerance, and very few showed ozone hormesis, yielding more under higher ozone levels. Transferring this trait to future varieties could increase global wheat production, and provide more food to the world's increasing population.
If you don't know ozone levels in the area you live or run an agricultural business in, you should ask, as your health, and your farm productivity might be affected. Ozone levels might be higher in agricultural areas than cities. If you are producing a chemical or biological product for agricultural use, ozone might directly or indirectly affect the efficacy of your product. I think we all should know more about ozone levels in our area, and what we should do to prevent or mitigate its negative effects.