[Objective] The aim was to study the effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons（PAHs）pyrene on the physiology and biochemistry of plant.[Method] Taking model plant A.thaliana as material,the effects of 4-ring PAHs pyrene stress on A.thaliana growth were studied,as well as the changes of antioxidant enzyme activity and ultrastructure in leaves.[Result] Under pyrene stress,the root growth of A.thaliana was enhanced under low concentration but was inhibited under high concentration.Trichomes of A.thaliana leaves distorted with the increase of pyrene concentration.Under 0.25 mmol/L of pyrene stress for 28 d,the photosynthetic process of A.thaliana was inhibited,and chlorophyll content in A.thaliana leaves decreased significantly.With the increase of pyrene concentration,the activity of peroxidase（POD）,superoxide dismutase（SOD）and ascorbate peroxidase（APX）in A.thaliana leaves increased significantly,while catalase（CAT）activity went up firstly and then went down.In addition,average H2O2 content in A.thaliana leaves under different pyrene concentrations were higher than that of control.Meanwhile,damaged ultrastructures of few chloroplasts in A.thaliana leaves under pyrene stress were observed,and photosynthesis was inhibited significantly.[Conclusion] The study could provide references for the toxic mechanism of PAHs on plant and plant selection in the phytoremediation of PAHs contaminated soil.
