PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF WHEAT SEEDLINGS UNDER CHEMICAL STRESS INDUCED BY VOLATILE ETHYL BENZENE

The effect of the ethyl benzene vapours in air at the concentration ranging from 81 to 6570 mg.m(-3) on the physiological response and anatomical changes of winter wheat seedlings, cv. "Tonacja" was examined. This effect, intensifying CO2 assimilation and increasing photosynthetic water-use efficiency, was observed at the lowest concentration. At the concentrations of 730 to 6570 mg.m(-3), ethyl benzene vapours suppressed both germination and development of plants as well as decreased physiological activity of the seedlings. They frequently induced chlorotic and necrotic areas on leaf surface, as well as dehydration of cells and changes in their shape.