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Effect of Drought Stress on Total Phenolic, Lipid Peroxidation, and Antioxidant Activity of Achillea Species

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Abstract

The changes in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2, and antioxidant activity were assessed based on three model systems in three Achillea species (Achillea millefolium, A. nobilis, and A. filipendulina) growing under four irrigation regimes, including 100 % FC (field capacity as normal irrigation) 75 % FC (low stress), 50 % FC (moderate stress), and 25 % FC (severe stress) conditions. The highest TPC (47.13 mg tannic acid/g DW) and TFC (20.86 mg quercetin/g W) were obtained in A. filipendulina under moderate and severe stress conditions. In 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the highest and the lowest antioxidant activity was obtained for A. millefolium (70.28 %) and A. filipendulina (53.21 %), respectively, while in the FTC model system A. nobilis revealed the highest antioxidant activity (1.934) in severe drought condition. In the linoleic model system, the highest antioxidant activity was observed under low drought stress condition in A. nobilis. MDA and H2O2 content were increased due to both low (75 % FC) and moderate (50 % FC) drought stress, but they were decreased under severe stress condition (25 % FC). Furthermore, A. millefolium revealed the lowest H2O2 (4.96 nm/g FW) and MDA content (176.32 μmol/g). Investigation of the relationship among different metabolites showed a strong positive correlation with TPC and TFC. Finally, the moderate drought stress treatment (50 % FC) was introduced as the optimum condition to obtain appreciable TPC and TFC,, while the highest antioxidant activity was obtained in severe stress condition (25%FC).

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Acknowledgments

We thank Isfahan University of Technology for funding the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156 83111, Iran

    Shima Gharibi & Ghodratollah Saeidi

  2. Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156 83111, Iran

    Badraldin Ebrahim Sayed Tabatabaei

  3. Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156 83111, Iran

    Sayed Amir Hossein Goli

  4. Molecular Plant Physiology Department, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584CH, Utrech, Netherlands

    Badraldin Ebrahim Sayed Tabatabaei

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  1. Shima Gharibi
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Correspondence to Badraldin Ebrahim Sayed Tabatabaei.

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Gharibi, S., Tabatabaei, B.E.S., Saeidi, G. et al. Effect of Drought Stress on Total Phenolic, Lipid Peroxidation, and Antioxidant Activity of Achillea Species. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 178, 796–809 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-015-1909-3

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