Unravelling the Effect of Triacontanol in Combating Drought Stress by Improving Growth, Productivity, and Physiological Performance in Strawberry Plants

Abstract

To explore the effects of triacontanol (TR) on drought tolerance of strawberry plants (cv Fertona), two field experiments were carried out to study the effects of three supplementary foliar TR rates (0, 0.5, and 1 ppm) under the following three levels of water irrigation: 11 m3/hectare (40% of water holding capacity (WHC) severe as a drought treatment, 22 m3/hectare (80% of WHC) as moderate drought stress, and normal irrigation with 27 m3/hectare (100% of WHC) server as a control treatment. TR treatments were applied five times after 30 days from transplanting and with 15-day intervals. The results showed that drought stress (40% and 80%) markedly decreased the growth, fruit yield, and chlorophyll reading, as well as the gas exchange parameters (net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate). Meanwhile, drought stress at a high rate obviously increased antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX), and catalase (CAT) contents in the leaves of the strawberry plants. The moderate and high drought stress rates enhanced some strawberry fruit quality parameters such as total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C, and anthocyanin content compared to the control. Additionally, TR increased the activities of SOD, POX, and CAT. TR treatment significantly increased the chlorophyll contents, gas exchange parameters (photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance), and water use efficiency (WUE). Plant height, fruit weight, and total biomass were increased also via TR application. Total yield per plant was increased 12.7% using 1 ppm of TR compared with the control. In conclusion, our results suggested that TR application could relieve the adverse effects of drought stress on the growth of strawberry plants by enhancing the antioxidant enzymes, photosynthesis rate, and WUE of the leaves.

Mulching as a Sustainable Water and Soil Saving Practice in Agriculture: A Review

“…As a result, plants with stronger root systems establish themselves more quickly. Organic mulches promote root development more than bare soil [262][263][264][265].…”

Metabolite profiling of the medicinal herb Phyllanthus niruri L. under drought stress

“…Four compounds were detected at all levels of drought stress treatment such as triacontanal, dl-αtocopherol, 1-tricosane, dan 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid. Triacontanal reduces the effects of drought stress by increasing antioxidant enzymes, photosynthetic rates, and water use efficiency in leaves [12]. dl-α-tocopherol increases antioxidant enzymes and proline accumulation [13].…”

Phenotypical and biochemical characterization of tomato plants treated with triacontanol

“…Physiological effects have been related at the biochemical level to a cellular increase in the content of photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugars, starch, phenols, and proteins 5 , and to stimulation of the activities of carbon and nitrogen metabolism enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrase 5 , 6 , nitrate reductase 6 , ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase 7 , and respiratory malate dehydrogenase 8 . More recent studies documented that triacontanol improves the tolerance of plants to abiotic stresses, including salinity 9 , 10 , drought 11 , temperature 12 , and heavy metals 13 , 14 . In general, these studies demonstrated that the improvement of tolerance to stress is due primarily to the increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and those involved in the ascorbate–glutathione cycle 14 .…”

“…In general, these studies demonstrated that the improvement of tolerance to stress is due primarily to the increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and those involved in the ascorbate–glutathione cycle 14 . The increase in antioxidant enzyme activity contrasts the oxidative damage, a common feature of various abiotic stresses 11 , thereby resulting in the mitigation of cell injury and the restoration of plant growth.…”