Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Physiological traits related to drought tolerance in tall fescue

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The physiological basis of genetic variation in drought response and its association with yield and related indices is not clear in tall fescue. In this study thirty genotypes of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) were sampled from a polycross population and evaluated under two levels of irrigation in 2010 (normal and intense stress) and 2011 (normal and mild stress). Physiological traits including relative water content (RWC), total chlorophyll (TChl), chlorophyll a (Chla), chlorophyll b (Chlb), Chla/Chlb, carotenoids (Car), TChl/Car and proline content along with forage yield, agro-morpholgical traits and selection indices (stress tolerance index, STI and drought susceptibility index, DSI) were studied. Large variation and moderate to high heritability was estimated for most of the studied traits. Intense drought condition decreased chlorophyll content while mild stress significantly increased it. In the other hand intense drought stress increased Chla/b while mild stress didn’t change it. Under mild drought stress condition STI was positively correlated with RWC while under intense drought stress condition STI was positively correlated with chlorophyll content. Although proline content was significantly increased in both intense and mild drought stress conditions, no relationship was found between proline accumulation with forage yield and STI. Applications of principle component analysis for screening suitable genotypes are also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abraham EM, Huang B, Bonos SA, Meyers WA (2004) Evaluation of drought resistance for texas bluegrass, kentucky bluegrass, and their hybrids. Crop Sci 44:1746–1753

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen RG, Pereira LS, Raes D, Smith M (1998) Crop Evapotranspiration: Guidelines for Computing Crop Requirements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No.56. FAO, Rome, Italy

  • Andrew JS, Moreau H, Kuntz M, Pagny G, Lin C, Tanksley S, McCarthy J (2008) An investigation of carotenoid biosynthesis in Coffea canephora and Coffea arabica. Plant Physiol 165:1087–1106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf M, Foolad MR (2007) Roles of glycine betaine and proline in improving plant abiotic stress resistance. Environ Exp Bot 59:206–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baquedano FJ, Castillo FJ (2006) Comparative ecophysiological effects of drought on seedlings of the Mediterranean water-saver Pinus halepensis and waterspenders Quercus coccifera and Quercus ilex. Tree struct Funct 20:689–700

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bates LS, Waldren RP, Teare LD (1973) Rapid determination of free proline for water-stress studies. Plant Soil 39:205–207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bayat F, Mirlohi A, Khodambashi M (2009) Effects of endophytic fungi on some drought tolerance mechanisms of tall fescue in a hydroponics culture. Russian J Plant Physiol 56:563–570

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blum A (2011) Plant breeding for water limited environments. Springer, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke Topp C, Parkin GW, Ferre TPA (2008) Soil water content. In: Carter MR, Gregorich EG (eds) Soil sampling and methods of analysis. Canadian Soc Soil Sci, Pinawa

    Google Scholar 

  • De-Lacerda CF, Cambraia J, Oliva MA, Ruiz HA, Prisco JT (2003) Solute accumulation and distribution during shoot and leaf development in two sorghum genotypes under salt stress. Environ Exp Bot 49:107–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dencic S, Kastori R, Kobiljski B, Duggan B (2000) Evaluation of grain yield and its components in wheat cultivates and landraces under near optimal and drought conditions. Euphytica 113:43–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eagles CF, Thomas H, Volaire F, Howarth CJ (1997) Stress physiology and crop improvement. Plant physiol Growth 3:141–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebrahimiyan M, Majidi MM, Mirlohi A, Gheysari M (2012) Drought tolerance indices in a tall fescue population and its polycross progenies. Crop Pasture Sci 63:360–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elsheery NI, Cao KF (2008) Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and osmotic adjustment in two mango cultivars under drought stress. Acta Physiol Plant 30:769–777

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Tayeb MA (2006) Differential response of two vicia faba cultivars to drought: growth, pigments, lipid, peroxidation, organic solutes, catalase, and peroxidase activity. Acta Agron Hung 54:25–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez GCJ (1992) Effective selection criteria for assessing plant stress tolerance. In: Kuo CC (ed.), Proc. of an international symposium on adaptation of food crops to temperature and water stress. AVRDC, Shanhua, Taiwan. 257–270

  • Fu J, Huang B (2001) Involvement of antioxidants and lipid peroxidation in the adaptation of two cool-season grasses to localized drought stress. Environ Exp Bot 45:105–114

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcı´a-Valenzuela X, Garcı´a-Moya E, Rasco´n-Cruz Q, Herrera-Estrella L, Aguado-Santacruz GA (2005) Chlorophyll accumulation is enhanced by osmotic stress in graminaceous chlorophyllic cells. Plant Physiol 162:650–661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallauer AR, Carena MJ, Miranda JB (2010) Quantitative genetics in maize breeding. Iowa state university press, Oxford

  • Haoz F, Li XH, Su ZJ, Xie CX, Li MS, Liang XL, Weng JF, Zhang DG, Li L, Zhang S (2011) A proposed selection criterion for drought resistance across multiple environments in maize. Breed Sci 61:101–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hare PD, Cress WA (1997) Metabolic implications of stress induced proline accumulation in plants. Plant Growth Regul 21:79–102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hsu SY, Hsu YT, Kao CH (2003) The effect of polyethylene glycol on proline accumulation in rice leaves. Biol Plant 46:73–78

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang B, Gao H (2000) Root Physiological characteristics associated with drought resistance in tall fescue cultivars. Crop Sci 40:196–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hura T, Grzesiak S, Hura K, Thiemtm E, Tokarz K, Wedzony M (2007) Physiological and biochemical tools useful in drought tolerance detection in genotypes of winter triticale: accumulation of Ferulic acid correlates with drought tolerance. Ann Bot 100:767–775

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SPSS Inc (2001) Wacker Drive S, Chicago, Illinois, USA

  • Jaleel CA, Manivannan P, Wahid A, Faros M, Al-juburi HJ, Somasundaram R, Panneerselvam R (2009) Drought stress in plants: a review on morphological characteristics and pigments composition. Int J Agric Biol 11:100–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang Y, Huang B (2001) Drought and heat stress injury to two cool-season turfgrass in relation to antioxidant metabolism and lipid peroxidation. Crop Sci 41:436–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johanson RA, Wichern DW (2007) Applied multivariate statistical analysis. Prentice Hall Inter. Inc, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Kavi Kishore PB, Sangam S, Amrutha RN, Laxmi PS, Naidu KR, Rao KRSS, Rao S, Reddy KJ, Theriappan P, Sreenivasulu N (2005) Regulation of proline biosynthesis, degradation, uptake and transport in higher plants: its implications in plant growth and abiotic stress tolerance. Curr Sci 88:424–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Kearsey MJ, Pooni HS (1996) The Genetical analysis of quantitative traits. Chapman and Hall, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Keles Y, Oncel I (2004) Growth and solute composition in two wheat species experiencing combined influence of stress conditions. Russian J Plant Physiol 51:228–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirigwi FM, Van Ginkel M, Trethowan R, Sears RG, Rajaram S, Paulsen GM (2004) Evaluation of selection strategies for wheat adaptation across water regimes. Euphytica 135:361–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenthaler HK, Buschmann C (2001) Chlorophylls and Carotenoids: measurement and characterization by UV-VIS spectroscopy. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York

  • Liu C, Liu Y, Guo K, Fan D, Li G, Zheng Y, Yu L, Yang R (2011) Effect of drought on pigments, osmotic adjustment and antioxidant enzymes in six woody plant species in karst habitats of southwestern China. Environ Exp Bot 71:174–183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maggio A, Miyazaki S, Veronese P, Fujita T, Ibeas JI, Damsz B, Narasimhan ML, Hasegawa PM, Joly RJ, Bressan RA (2002) Does proline accumulation play an active role in stress-induced growth reduction? Plant J 31:699–712

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Majidi MM, Mirlohi A, Amini F (2009) Genetic variation, heritability and correlations of agro-morphological traits in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Euphytica 167:323–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mensah JK, Obadoni BO, Eruotor PG, Onome-Irieguna F (2006) Simulated flooding and drought effects on germination, growth, and yield parameters of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Afr J Biotechnol 5:1249–1253

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Merewitz E, Meyer W, Bonos S, Huang BR (2010) Drought stress responses and recovery of texas x kentucky hybrids and kentucky bluegrass genotypes in temperate climate conditions. Agron J 102:258–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mirlohi A, Sabzalian MR, Khayyam Nekouei M (2004) Endophytic fungi, characteristics and their potential for genetic manipulation. Iran J Biotechnol 2:75–83

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery DC (2006) Introduction to linear regression analysis. Jon Wiley and Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Munne-Bosch S, Pe˜nuelas J (2003) Photo- and antioxidative protection during summer leaf senescence in Pistacia lentiscus L. grown under Mediterranean field conditions. Ann Bot 92:385–391

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norton MR, Volaire F, Lelièvre F (2006) Summer dormancy in Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; the influence of season of sowing and a simulated mid-summer storm on two contrasting cultivars. Aust J Agric Res 57:1267–1277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramirez Vallejo P, Kelly JD (1998) Traits related to drought resistance in common bean. Euphytica 99:127–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS institute (2001) User’s guide. Release 8.2 SAS Institute, Cary N.C. Nos SAS and SSSA, Madison, W. pp 225–293

  • Seraj R, Sinclair TR (2002) Osmolyte accumulation: can it really help increase crop yield under drought conditions? Plant Cell Environ 25:333–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang JP, Bughrara SS (2008) Evaluation of drought tolerance for Atlas fescue, perennial ryegrass, and their progeny. Euphytica 164:113–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Huang B (2004) Physiological recovery of kentucky bluegrass from simultaneous drought and heat stress. Crop Sci 44:1729–1736

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weatherley PE (1950) Studies in the water relations of cotton plants I. The field measurement of water deficit in leaves. New Phytol 49:81–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • XiangYong Z, QingHua Y, ShengJiang H (2009) Physiology study of drought resistance of tall fescue in the seedling stage. Southwest China J Agric Sci 22:621–624

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiao X, Xu X, Yang F (2008) Adaptive responses to progressive drought stress in two populus cathayana populations. Silva Fennica 42(5):705–719

    Google Scholar 

  • XiaoRong X, Wei L, JinRong L, JianXiong D (2009) Physiological evaluation of drought and heat resistance for 21 tall fescue turfgrass. Acta Agrestia Sinica 17:202–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Yan H, Gang LZ, Zhao CY, Guo WY (2000) Effects of exogenous proline on the physiology of soyabean plantlets regenerated from embryos in vitro and on the ultrastructure of their mitochondria under NaCl stress. Soybean Sci 19:314–319

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, 84156-8311, Isfahan, Iran

    Maryam Ebrahimiyan, Mohammad Mahdi Majidi, Aghafakhr Mirlohi & Abbas Noroozi

Authors
  1. Maryam Ebrahimiyan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammad Mahdi Majidi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aghafakhr Mirlohi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Abbas Noroozi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Mahdi Majidi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ebrahimiyan, M., Majidi, M.M., Mirlohi, A. et al. Physiological traits related to drought tolerance in tall fescue. Euphytica 190, 401–414 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-012-0808-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-012-0808-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation