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Phenotyping of new hybrid citrus rootstocks under water deficit reveals conserved and novel physiological attributes of drought tolerance

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Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate, under controlled conditions, the physiological attributes of drought tolerance induced by new hybrid citrus rootstocks with demonstrated potential to enhance productive efficiency in sweet orange under water-limiting conditions in the field. Twelve-month-old ‘Valencia’ sweet orange grafted on four new hybrid rootstocks were cultivated in plastic pots filled with 1.5 kg dm−3 of soil, under greenhouse conditions, and subjected to different intensities of drought stress defined on the basis of predawn leaf water potential. The results showed that the net rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and intercellular carbon concentration did not differentiate between plants maintained under moderate and severe stress conditions, evidencing high water use efficiency. The rootstocks were also able to induce osmotic adjustment, cell wall stiffening, decreased osmotic potential at the turgor loss point (ΨTLP) and stimulation of guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity and gene expression in leaves of the drought-stressed plants, allowing the maintenance of cell turgor, oxidative status, carboxylation efficiency and photosynthesis, irrespective of the intensity of drought stress. The rootstocks also showed a constitutively or drought-induced high density of fine roots, contributing to the soil–water uptake. These results revealed various attributes underlying drought tolerance in citrus and provided a valuable reference for developing drought-tolerant citrus rootstocks.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by research grants from CNPq (Process # 306667/2014-2 and 478733/2013-5), Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT) de Genômica para Melhoramento de Citros (CNPq Process # 465440/2014-2 and FAPESP Process # 2008/2014/50880-0) and Embrapa (Macroprograma 2 Process # SEG # 02.13.03.005.00.00). M.C. Silva was recipient of a Ph.D. scholarship by FAPESB (Salvador, Bahia, Brazil). W.S. Soares Filho, A.S. Gesteira, M.A. Coelho Filho and M.G.C. Costa are CNPq Research Fellows. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biological Sciences Department, Center for Biotechnology and Genetics, State University of Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, 45662-900, Brazil

    Matheus C. Silva, Andressa R. O. Sousa, Elaine S. Cruz & Marcio G. C. Costa

  2. Institute of Agricultural and Technological Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Rondonópolis, MT, 78735-910, Brazil

    Alessana F. Schlichting

  3. Embrapa Cassava & Fruits, Cruz das Almas, BA, 44380-000, Brazil

    Walter S. Soares Filho, Abelmon S. Gesteira & Maurício A. Coelho Filho

Authors
  1. Matheus C. Silva
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  2. Andressa R. O. Sousa
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  3. Elaine S. Cruz
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  4. Alessana F. Schlichting
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  5. Walter S. Soares Filho
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  6. Abelmon S. Gesteira
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  7. Maurício A. Coelho Filho
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  8. Marcio G. C. Costa
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Correspondence to Maurício A. Coelho Filho or Marcio G. C. Costa.

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Silva, M.C., Sousa, A.R.O., Cruz, E.S. et al. Phenotyping of new hybrid citrus rootstocks under water deficit reveals conserved and novel physiological attributes of drought tolerance. Acta Physiol Plant 41, 105 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-019-2883-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-019-2883-0

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