Ameliorating Drought-Induced Stress in Turfgrass through Genetic Manipulation

Abstract

To delineate the major processes associated with short water scarcity in four tall fescue species, we examined their enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant activity and FaSGR expression levels. Moreover, we examined the possibility of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis P CS gene in tall fescue. "ccording to the results, proline has been introduced as an important compatible osmolyte, so as to protect enzymes and cellular structures under water scarcity. In addition to that, superoxide dismutase SOD along with proline can be used as a core physiological indicator for the assessment of adaptability to environmental conditions. Results indicated that most of the superoxide that was produced as a result of drought stress was converted to H O by SOD and subsequently detoxified by ascorbate peroxidase "PX into H O. Notably, the FaSGR transcript increased drastically over the course of the drought stress in Pixie and Minimustang, in contrast to jaguar and h d, supporting the notion of Stay GReen SGRmediated chlorophyll degradation in the less drought-tolerant cultivars. Different modulations of ROSs quenching system in tall fescue genotypes suggest that even one stress signal causes different signaling responses in different cultivars. The heterologous transformation of P CS in Festuca arundinacea background, confirmed by PCR and transient GUS assay, most probably can improve tall fescue tolerance to drought stress.