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Exogenous 24-epibrassinolide ameliorates high temperature-induced inhibition of growth and photosynthesis in Cucumis melo

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

This study was carried out to better understand the role of 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) in thermotolerance of melon (Cucumis melo L.). The melon seedlings were pretreated with various concentrations of EBR (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg dm−3) as foliar spray and then exposed to a high temperature (HT) stress. Exogenous EBR (0.5–1.5 mg dm−3) alleviated HT-caused growth suppression. In parallel, 1.0 mg dm−3 EBR attenuated the decrease in chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem (PS) II, quantum yield of PS II, and photochemical quenching of chlorophyll a fluorescence in HT-stressed plants, and inhibited transpiration rate and non-photochemical quenching. Furthermore, exogenous EBR also significantly reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the content of soluble proteins and free proline, and activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase under the HT stress. The results show that protective effects of EBR against the HT stress in the melon seedlings were most likely mediated through the improvement of photosynthesis and the stimulation of antioxidant capacity.

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Abbreviations

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

BRs:

brassinosteroids

CAT:

catalase

Chl:

chlorophyll

ci :

intercellular CO2 concentration

E:

transpiration rate

EBR:

24-epibrassinolide

F0 :

minimal fluorescence

Fv/Fm :

variable to maximum fluorescence ratio in dark adapted leaves (maximum quantum yield of PS II photochemistry)

Fv′/Fm′:

variable to maximum fluorescence ratio in steady-state conditions (efficiency of excitation energy capture by open PS II centers)

gs :

stomatal conductance

MDA:

malondialdehyde

NBT:

nitroblue tetrazolium

NPQ:

non-photochemical quenching

ϕPSII :

effective quantum yield of PS II photochemistry

POD:

peroxidase

PS:

photosystem

qP:

photochemical quenching

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Horticultural Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 201106, P.R. China

    Y. P. Zhang & Y. Y. Chen

  2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Shanghai, 201106, P.R. China

    Y. P. Zhang, S. J. Yang & Y. Y. Chen

  3. College of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, P.R. China

    J. He

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Correspondence to Y. Y. Chen.

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Acknowledgements: We are grateful for funding supported by the Shanghai Prosper Agriculture by Science and Technology Plan, China (Grant No. 2009-2-1) and the Open Fund of Shanghai Key Lab of Protected Horticultural Technology.

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Zhang, Y.P., He, J., Yang, S.J. et al. Exogenous 24-epibrassinolide ameliorates high temperature-induced inhibition of growth and photosynthesis in Cucumis melo . Biol Plant 58, 311–318 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-014-0395-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-014-0395-8

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