Evaluation of drought tolerance in three commercial pomegranate cultivars using photosynthetic pigments, yield parameters and biochemical traits as biomarkers

Salicylic acid (SA) has been shown to ameliorate drought stress. However, physiological and biochemical mechanisms involved in drought stress tolerance induced by SA in plants have not been well understood. Thus, this study aimed to study the role of SA application on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, photosynthetic performance, and plant growth in A. chilensis plants subjected to moderate drought stress. One-year-old A. chilensis plants were subjected to 100% and 60% of field capacity. When plants reached moderate drought stress (average of stem water potential of −1.0 MPa, considered as moderate drought stress), a single SA application was performed on plants. Then, physiological and biochemical features were determined at different times during 14 days. Our study showed that SA application increased 13.5% plant growth and recovered 41.9% AN and 40.7% gs in drought-stressed plants on day 3 compared to drought-stressed plants without SA application. Interestingly, SOD and APX activities were increased 85% and 60%, respectively, in drought-stressed SA-treated plants on day 3. Likewise, SA improved 30% total phenolic content and 60% antioxidant capacity in drought-stressed A. chilensis plants. Our study provides insight into the SA mechanism to tolerate moderate drought stress in A. chilensis plants.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salicylic Acid Improves Antioxidant Defense System and Photosynthetic Performance in Aristotelia chilensis Plants Subjected to Moderate Drought Stress

González‐Villagra

Reyes-Díaz

Tighe‐Neira

et al. 2022

“…G. asiatica plants that were moderately drought-stressed had a reduced RWC level of 6% compared to well-irrigated plants. Several species have been found to suffer negative effects from moderate drought stress, including Phaseolus vulgaris [ 53 ], Vaccinium corymbosum [ 54 ], Malus domestica [ 55 ], and Punica granatum [ 56 ]. Following 20 days of water restriction, as we reported, severe drought stress resulted in plant growth reduced by five times in G. asiatica plants, which was also previously reported in sunflower [ 57 ], soybeans [ 58 ], and Zanthoxylum acanthopodium [ 59 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Jasmonic Acid Boosts Physio-Biochemical Activities in Grewia asiatica L. under Drought Stress

Waheed

Haxim

Kahar

et al. 2022

It has been shown that jasmonic acid (JA) can alleviate drought stress. Nevertheless, there are still many questions regarding the JA-induced physiological and biochemical mechanisms that underlie the adaptation of plants to drought stress. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate whether JA application was beneficial for the antioxidant activity, plant performance, and growth of Grewia asiatica L. Therefore, a study was conducted on G. asiatica plants aged six months, exposing them to 100% and 60% of their field capacity. A JA application was only made when the plants were experiencing moderate drought stress (average stem water potential of 1.0 MPa, considered moderate drought stress), and physiological and biochemical measures were monitored throughout the 14-day period. In contrast to untreated plants, the JA-treated plants displayed an improvement in plant growth by 15.5% and increased CO2 assimilation (AN) by 43.9% as well as stomatal conductance (GS) by 42.7% on day 3. The ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities of drought-stressed JA-treated plants increased by 87%, 78%, and 60%, respectively, on day 3. In addition, G. asiatica plants stressed by drought accumulated 34% more phenolics and 63% more antioxidants when exposed to JA. This study aimed to understand the mechanism by which G. asiatica survives in drought conditions by utilizing the JA system.

“…It depends on the plant growth phase and other environmental conditions, which are controlled easier in laboratory conditions, and the response can be evaluated better than in the field. In the early stage of growth, drought causes a reduction in plant growth [ 4 ]. Furthermore, water deficit significantly diminishes plant growth and development, initiated by the changed water interactions, reduced photosynthesis rate, enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, their related oxidative destruction, and reductions in cell turgor pressure [ 5 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polyethylene Glycol and Sorbitol-Mediated In Vitro Screening for Drought Stress as an Efficient and Rapid Tool to Reach the Tolerant Cucumis melo L. Genotypes

Mehmandar

Rasouli

Giglou

et al. 2023

Self Cite

An efficient method to instantly assess drought-tolerant plants after germination is using osmoregulation in tissue culture media. In this study, the responses of three Iranian melon genotypes to sorbitol (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 M) or polyethylene glycol (PEG) (0.009, 0.012, and 0.015 M) were evaluated as drought stress simulators in MS medium. ‘Girke’ (GIR), ‘Ghobadloo’ (GHO), and ‘Toghermezi’ (TOG) were the genotypes. GIR is reputed as a drought-tolerant genotype in Iran. The PEG or sorbitol decreased the coleoptile length, fresh weight, and photosynthetic pigments content while enhancing proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. Protein content and antioxidant enzyme activity were utterly dependent on genotype, osmotic regulators, and their concentration. Coleoptile length, root and shoot fresh weight, root dry weight, proline and MDA content, and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity can be used as indicators for in vitro screening of Cucumis melo L. genotypes. The results showed that sorbitol mimics drought stress better than PEG. Overall, our findings suggest that in vitro screening could be an accurate, rapid, and reliable methodology for evaluating and identifying drought-tolerant genotypes.