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The physiological and biochemical responses of eastern purple coneflower to freezing stress

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Abstract

The freezing hardiness (expressed as LT50) as well as changes in the antioxidant enzymes activity, total protein and lipid peroxidation (MDA content), total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, chlorophyll fluorescence (F v/F m) of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench were investigated. Five-month-old purple coneflower seedlings were kept at 4°C for two weeks to induce cold acclimation. The acclimated seedlings were treated with freezing temperatures (0, −4, −8, −12, −16, and −20°C) for 6 h. The unfrozen control plants were kept at 4°C. The results with lowering freezing temperatures showed a sharp increase of ion leakage and MDA content at −20°C as compared to the nonfreezing temperature. Exposing seedlings to freezing temperatures were accompanied by decreasing dark-adapted chlorophyll fluorescence (F v/F m). Freezing stress significantly reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT) activity of seedling leaf except at 0°C. With lowering freezing temperature, peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity showed a sharp decline to −20°C. Furthermore, total protein and antioxidant capacity of Echinacea leaves were declined significantly after exposure to freezing temperature, and thereafter reached to the highest at −8°C. Total phenolic content of freezing-treated seedlings was significantly lower than that of the nonfreezing seedlings. Total flavonoid content increased significantly with lowering freezing temperatures. It was found that percentage of freezing injury closely correlated to antioxidant enzymes activity (POD and PPO; r = −0.93) and F v/F m ratio (r = −0.77). Based on our results, the freezing tolerance (LT50) of Echinacea seedlings under artificially simulated freezing stress in the laboratory was −7°C.

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Abbreviations

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

CAT:

catalase

DPPH:

1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl

NBT:

nitro blue tetrazolium

POD:

peroxidase

PPO:

polyphenol oxidase

PVPP:

polyvinyl polypyrrolidone

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

TBA:

thiobarbituric acid

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

    S. Asadi-Sanam & M. Zavareh

  2. Department of Agronomy, Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

    H. Pirdashti

  3. Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

    A. Hashempour

  4. Department of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

    G. A. Nematzadeh

  5. Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ramin Agricultural and Natural Resources University of Khozestan, Ahvaz, Iran

    Y. Yaghoubian

Authors
  1. S. Asadi-Sanam
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  2. H. Pirdashti
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  4. M. Zavareh
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Correspondence to H. Pirdashti.

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Asadi-Sanam, S., Pirdashti, H., Hashempour, A. et al. The physiological and biochemical responses of eastern purple coneflower to freezing stress. Russ J Plant Physiol 62, 515–523 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443715040056

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443715040056

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