Drought is one of the most damaging abiotic stress factors commonly experienced by plants, resulting in a significant loss of crop yield worldwide. The aim of the study was to assess drought tolerance of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) hybrids and find out potentially underlying photobiological traits. Experiment was conducted in the agricultural field of Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute in Adana. To evaluate the drought tolerance of twenty-six sunflower hybrids polyphasic chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were performed at the three growth stages named as vegetative, head formation and milky seed (stress 1, S1; stress 2, S2; stress 3, S3, respectively). The hybrids were classified from drought tolerant to drought sensitive based on their drought factor index (DFI) values calculated from photosynthetic performance index. 9444 A X 9947 R and 9444 A X 8129 R were determined as the most tolerant hybrids, whereas 2453 A X 8129 R and 7751 A X TT 135 R were determined as the most sensitive hybrids. Severe drought stress (S2) inhibited severely both the donor and the acceptor sides of photosystem II in sensitive hybrids. Photosynthetic structures of drought-tolerant hybrids were less damaged by drought stress, consequently these hybrids could maintain their photosynthetic performances (minor changes in φ Po , ψ o , δ Ro , specific and/or phenomenological energy fluxes) approximately control levels under severe drought condition. As a result, results, 9444 A X 9947 R and 9444 A X 8129 R hybrids could be recommended to be used in the breeding programs and further studies as genetic material and to be grown in drought-prone areas.
The aim of the study was to screen nine inbred lines of sunflower by inducing drought for 10 d and subsequent rewatering for 5 d. Impact of drought was determined by chlorophyll fluorescence and some physiological parameters. Drought led to a decrease in the photosynthetic performance, the quantum yield, and efficiency of electron transport in sunflower lines, while it caused an increase in the absorption flux per reaction centre, dissipation of an active reaction centre, and K-band as well as L-band. Drought also decreased the total chlorophyll contents and water status of the lines, which contributed to photoinhibition. Our results suggested that drought may restrict light harvesting and electron transport in the sunflower lines at various levels. Drought did not cause irreversible membrane damage, since the lines recovered after rewatering. Considering all results, the inbred lines TT317-R and 2478-A were adversely affected by drought when compared to other lines, while 9753-2R exhibited better photosynthetic performance under drought and might be considered as the most tolerant among the lines.
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) suffers from terminal drought accompanying with high temperature stress since it grows mainly in rain fed areas. Therefore, plant breeders try to improve more drought tolerant varieties and to screen their genetic materials for drought resistance. The present study was conducted to determine drought tolerance levels of sunflower male inbred lines developed by Trakya Agricultural Research Institute (TARI), Edirne, Turkey. Inbred lines grown under controlled environmental conditions were sorted by polyphasic chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. Drought stress applications were performed at three sunflower growth stages as R-3 (vegetative), R5-1 (head formation) and R-6 (milky seed).
Based on applied different JIP-Test (analysis of O-J-I-P fluorescence transient) parameters such as Drought Factor index (-DFI)and Damage index (-DI), 70352 R, 8129 R, 0536 R and 9947 R restorer lines were found more drought tolerant than those of the other examined sunflower inbred lines, whereas TT 317 R and TT 199 R were determined as more drought sensitive than others. The drought tolerant inbred lines will be helpful to improve drought resistance in sunflower breeding programs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.