Differential physiological and antioxidative responses to drought stress and recovery among four contrasting Argania spinosa ecotypes

Prairie junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) is a native cool-season C3 grass that has shown potential as a low-input turfgrass. An increased understanding of the physiological and molecular responses of prairie junegrass to water-deficit conditions is important for developing cultivars with enhanced drought tolerance. The objective of this study was to characterize the antioxidative responses and candidate gene expression in prairie junegrass subjected to drought stress. Two drought-tolerant (TOL-1 and TOL-2) and two drought-susceptible (SUS-1 and SUS-2) genotypes of prairie junegrass were subjected to 7 days of drought stress. Leaf relative water content (RWC) of SUS-1 and SUS-2 was 72.1% and 73.8% and RWC of TOL-1 and TOL-2 was 90.1% and 85.4% in drought-stressed plants, respectively. Drought stress did not affect chlorophyll fluorescence, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidative enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), or glutathione reductase for tolerant or susceptible genotypes. The TOL-2 and SUS-2 genotypes were further examined for candidate gene expression. Drought stress did not alter expression levels of CAT and chloroplastic copper/zinc SOD (Cu/ZnSOD), but increased levels of APX in either genotype, compared with their relative controls. Expression of P5CS encoding Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase and P5CR encoding Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase for proline biosynthesis were up-regulated under drought stress for both genotypes; however, expression of P5CR was more strongly induced under drought stress for TOL-2, compared with its control. The expression of 1-FFT encoding fructan:fructan 1-fructosyltransferase, which is involved in fructan biosynthesis, was strongly induced under drought stress for TOL-2 but not detected under either control or drought stress conditions for SUS-2. These results indicate that the genes involved in proline and fructan biosynthesis may play an important role in drought tolerance in prairie junegrass.

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The significant symbiotic interactions between a native mycorrhizal fungi complex newly identified and the endemic tree Argania spinosa Skeels mediate growth, photosynthesis and enzymatic responses under drought stress conditions.

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2020-0351 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

El mostapha Ouatamamat ◽

Said El Mrabet ◽

Hanane Dounas ◽

Bargaz Adnane ◽

Robin Duponnois ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drought Stress ◽

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Soluble Sugar ◽

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Argania Spinosa ◽

Argan Tree ◽

Relative Water ◽

General Improvement ◽

Water Limitations

Argan tree (Argania spinosa skeels) is one of the most affected species by desertification and global warming. To advance knowledge on how this tree can withstand drought stress, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation with a native complex, mainly formed of Glomus genus, was studied on a set of growth and physiological parameters. Under controlled conditions, inoculated and non- inoculated Argan seedlings were grown for three months under three water regimes (25%, 50%, 75% relatively to the field capacity of used soil substrate). Results showed that the Argan tree had different growth abilities to develop and withstand the various applied water limitations. The AMF complex stimulates growth and mineral nutrition of Argan seedlings under the different imposed levels of water deficiency). The Relative water content (RWC) in leaves, the hydric potential and the stomatal conductance in Argan leaves had shown a general improvement in inoculated seedlings compared to non-inoculated ones. Soluble sugar and proline contents significantly increased in non-inoculated compared with inoculated seedlings under water-limiting conditions (25%). This was similar to oxidative enzyme (Catalase, peoxydase, superoxide dismutase) whose activity increased significantly in drought stressed seedlings.

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