The present research seeks to elucidate the feasibility of chitosan (CHT) in the induction of water deficit tolerance in different maize hybrids, contrasting tolerance to water restriction, tolerance and sensitivity. The maize plants were subjected to water deficit and foliar application of different chitosan doses (60, 100, 140, and 180 mg L-1) at the pre-flowering growth stage and evaluated during the stress period of fifteen days. To understand the induction behaviour of the tolerance to water restriction, biophysical parameters, such as water potential, relative water content and chlorophyll content, gas exchange, and biochemical assays, were quantified based on the activity of SOD, CAT, APX, and PAL antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation activity and hydrogen peroxide content. Among the treatments, maize plants subjected to chitosan foliar application at a dose of 140 mg L-1 presented similar behavioural responses to plants under favourable irrigation conditions. Such positive responses are related to the high degree of activity of antioxidant enzymes, gas exchange and low levels of lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide. The results support the potential use of CHT to increase tolerance to water stress.
Purpose This study was conducted to assess the effects of silicon treatments on architecture and morphometry of root systems of sorghum plants grown at two different soil water levels and to elucidate whether physiological improvements caused by silicon were related to morphometric modifications of the root system. Methods Plants of the sorghum genotype BRS332 which is sensitive to drought at pre-flowering stage were used in this study. These plants were grown in a greenhouse, either at field capacity or under water deficiency, and were treated with silicon or were untreated. Leaf water potential was evaluated at noon, and gas exchange, photosynthetic pigment levels, relative aquaporin expression, root system morphometry, and grain yield were assessed. Results Silicon treatments mitigated the effects of water deficiency on leaf potential, photosynthesis, instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, and morphometry of the root system. These positive effects contributed to a higher grain yield, and thus indicated higher tolerance to drought. The beneficial effects of silicon also occurred in plants grown at field capacity. Silicon treatments did not increase the relative expression of aquaporin genes. However, we observed that expression of aquaporin TIP4 responded more strongly to drought than that of aquaporins PIP1;6 and PIP1;3/1;4. Conclusion We conclude that silicon supplementation increases the tolerance of sorghum plants to drought by increasing growth of the root system and mitigating adverse effects of drought on photosynthesis.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the the ability of foliar application of potassium nitrate (KNO3) to induce water deficit tolerance in sorghum plants (Sorghum bicolor cv. P898012) subjected to water deficit at pre-flowering. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions with 4 treatments: field capacity (FC), water deficit (WD), field capacity + KNO3 (FC + KNO3), and water deficit + KNO3 (WD + KNO3). Two foliar applications of 3% (m/v) KNO3 were made, the first on day zero of stress and the second on the fifth day. All analyses were performed after 12 days of stress (end of stress). Foliar application of KNO3 to irrigated plants led to increases in relative chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and carboxylation efficiency. It also induced increases in leaf concentrations of P, Mg, S, Cu, and Fe, in addition to height growth. Under water deficit conditions, plants treated with KNO3 presented higher relative chlorophyll content, leaf area, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration, carboxylation efficiency, and higher levels of P, K, Mg, S, Cu, and Fe than those not treated with KNO3. The morphometry of the root system was not altered by the treatments. In addition, plants treated with KNO3 under water deficit conditions showed higher growth and a grain yield 32.2% higher than those that did not receive KNO3. These results demonstrated that KNO3 applied to the leaves induced water deficit tolerance in sorghum plants subjected to severe water stress at pre-flowering.
Low water availability is characterized as an abiotic stressthat limits the agricultural production. Due to the physical and chemicalcharacteristics of the chitosan (CHT), this substance might stimulatephysiological responses on plants to tolerate the water deficit. In this sense,we submitted corn plants to water deficit and application of chitosan on theleaves (140 mg/L) during pre flowering stage. It were analyzed two cornhybrids genotypes contrasting for water deficit tolerance: DKB 390 (tolerant)and BRS1010 (sensitive). Then, we performed evaluations on the rootsystem and production components. Corn plants submitted to the applicationof chitosan presented a specific behavior: when compared the hybrids,the tolerant one presented a root system that was more developed and anexpressive agronomical yield. These results highlight the fact that the chitosanstimulates plant growth, enhancing their root system and contributing toincrease the availability and absorption of water and nutrients. The chitosanpresents a potential to reduce the negative effects of water deficit on the rootsystems, without compromising the agronomical yield.
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