Does the rate of German chamomile growth and development influence the response of plants to soil drought?

Abstract

The response of the wild type (WT) and a strain C6/2 of German chamomile to 7-d soil drought and subsequent 7-day rehydration was studied. Shoot and leaf growth, vegetative development, water and protein contents, ascorbate peroxidase activity and gas exchange were compared. At the stress stage, water content of WT plants was slightly influenced and the effect was ceased after rehydration. Also the decrease in gas exchange was temporary. New leaves were formed, although their area was diminished. On the contrary, leaves of C6/2 plants were more desiccated and the durable decrease in water content was accompanied by the impairment in gas exchange also at the recovery stage (20-40% loss when compared to the control). At both stages of the experiment the growth of the long shoots of this genotype was drastically decreased, as well as leaf formation. Ascorbate peroxidase activity was increased by drought in leaves of both genotypes, but the pattern of changes in WT plants reflected the enhancement of metabolism resulting from proper water content and gas exchange at the recovery stage. Different pattern of changes in the protein content during drought was also noticed: a slight increase in WT, while the decrease by 1 /4 in C6/2 leaves. The response of WT plants to desiccation and rewatering was found to be more elastic than that of C6/2.

Antioxidant Enzyme Activities and Gene Expression Patterns in Leaves of Kentucky Bluegrass in Response to Drought and Post-drought Recovery

“…In Prunus hybrids, the activity of APX, MR, DR, and GR was downregulated during the rewatering phase and their values were lower than those found in the droughtstressed plants (Sofo et al, 2005). In wild-type german chamomile (Chamomilla recutita), APX activity was higher in drought-stressed plants than in the well-watered control plants (Baczek-Kwinta et al, 2010). EXPRESSION OF GENES ENCODING ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES IN RESPONSE TO DROUGHT AND REWATERING.…”

Variation in yield and biochemical factors of German chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) under foliar application of osmolytes and drought stress conditions

“…Reductions in protein concentrations may be one of the symptoms of oxidative stress that are observed repeatedly in plants under drought stress (65). In the two genotypes of chamomile studied by Bączek-Kwinta et al (66) different pattern of changes in the protein content of their leaves observed: during drought the increase in WT(wild-type), while the decrease in C6/2 cultivar is noticed. Presumably, WT plants synthesize various protective protein molecules in leaves whereas the metabolism of C6/2 specimens is"anthesis-oriented" most of the photosynthates are allocated to developing flowers instead of being turned into protective proteins.…”

Leaf Rolling Reduces Photosynthetic Loss in Maize Under Severe Drought

“…In addition the decrease in Rubisco activity in our study may be a result of stomatal closure due to long-term drought stress. Stomata closure reduces photoassimilates and concentration of C i (BACZEK-KWINTA et al 2010) leading to Rubisco deactivation (CHAVES and OLIVEI-RA 2004). Decrease in C i in our study supports the hypothesis that the reduction in Rubisco activity may be a result of stomatal closure.…”