Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) on Leaf Chlorophyll Fast Fluorescence Characteristics and Mineral Element Content of Buxus megistophylla Grown along Urban Roadsides

It is well known that trees grown on roadsides suffer from stressful environments, including poor soils, bad weather, and harmful gases from automobile exhaust. Improving the adaptability of roadside trees to adverse environments is important for urban management. An experiment was carried out with six-year-old Buxus megistophylla Levl. hedgerows, where 20 mg/L 5-aminolevulinic acids (5-ALA) solution was sprayed on the blade surface at the end of April. Three months later, plant morphology, chlorophyll fast fluorescence characteristics, antioxidant enzyme activities and the mineral element content were investigated. The results showed that leaf size and thickness were significantly greater with 5-ALA treatment, and the leaf color was also greener than those of the control. 5-ALA treatment significantly promoted the electron transfer activity of the PSII reaction center on the donor side, the reaction center itself and the receptor side. It reduced energy dissipation through the heat with increased photochemical quantum yields. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) in leaves and roots, were stimulated by 5-ALA treatment. The content of soluble sugars and free proline in leaves was significantly increased by 5-ALA treatment, as were the absorption and accumulation of several kinds of mineral nutrient elements, such as nitrogen, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and boron. Additionally, 5-ALA application significantly increased the content of cadmium, mercury, chromium and lead in the roots but decreased them in the leaves. This implies that 5-ALA may induce a mechanism in B. megistophylla in which toxic elements were intercepted in roots to avoid accumulation in leaves, which ensured healthy growth of the aboveground tissues. 5-ALA may regulate the absorption and utilization of mineral nutrient elements in soil with the interception of toxic heavy metal elements in roots, promote leaf photosynthetic performance, induce the accumulation of soluble sugars and free proline, and improve the antioxidant enzyme systems for plants to adapt to the stressful environment of urban roads. These results provide a basis for 5-ALA applications alongside city roads.