Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Induction of water deficit tolerance in wheat due to exogenous application of plant growth regulators: membrane stability, water relations and photosynthesis

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Photosynthetica

Abstract

Our experiment was carried out in order to explore effects of plant growth regulators (PGR; thidiazuron, paclobutrazol, and ascorbic acid) on physiological traits of wheat genotypes under water surplus and deficit conditions. Study revealed that relative water content, membrane stability index, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate (PN), and maximal quantum yield of PSII improved with PGRs application across the genotypes both under irrigation and water stress. The response of HD 2733 genotype was more positive toward PGRs treatment as compared to other genotypes under water stress. Higher PN and chlorophyll contents were observed in HD 2987 followed by C 306 genotype under water-stress conditions. Moreover, Rubisco small subunit (SSU) expression was lower in wheat genotypes under water stress as compared to irrigated conditions. Application of PGRs led to upregulation of SSU under water stress, while no significant change was found in Rubisco level and activity under irrigated condition in dependence on PGRs treatments. Yield-related traits showed also significant reduction under water-stress conditions, while application of PGRs enhanced the yield and its components. Results indicated that the PGRs exhibited a positive interaction and synergetic effect on water stressed wheat plants in terms of photosynthetic machinery and yield.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ABA:

abscisic acid

AsA:

ascorbic acid

bp:

base pair

Chl:

chlorophyll

DAS:

days after sowing

FV/FM :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

HI:

harvest index

PBZ:

paclobutrazol

PGRs:

plant growth regulators

SSU:

small subunit of Rubisco

TDZ:

thidiazuron.

References

  • Ali Q., Ashraf M.: Induction of drought tolerance in maize due to exogenous application of threolose: growth, photosynthesis, water relation and oxidative defence mechanism. — Agron. Crop Sci. 1: 1–14. 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Almeselmani M., Abdullah F., Hareri F. et al.: Effect of drought on different physiological characters and yield component in different Syrian durum wheat varieties. — J. Agr. Sci. 3: 127–133, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amin B., Mahleghah G., Mahmood H.M.R. et al.: Evaluation of intraction effect of drought stress with ascorbic acid and salicylic acid on some of physiological and biochemical parameters in okra (Hibiscus esculentus L.). — Res. J. Biol. Sci. 4: 380–387. 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnon D.I.: Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts, polyphenoloxidase in Beta vulgaris. — Plant Physiol. 24: 1–15, 1949.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Azzedine F.H., Gherroucha., Baka M.: Improvement of salt tolerance in durum wheat by ascorbic acid application. — J. Stress Physiol. Bioch. 7: 27–33, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basu P.S., Ali M., Chaturvedi S.K.: Adaptation of photosynthetic components of chickpea to water stress. — In: 4th International Crop Science Congress, Brisbane 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blum A., Pnuel Y.: Physiological attributes associated with drought resistance of wheat cultivars in a mediterranean environment. — Aust. J. Agr. Res. 41: 799–810, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blum A.: Crop responses to drought and interpretation of adaptation. — Plant Growth Regul. 20: 135–148. 1996.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boyer G.L., Zeevart J.A.D.: Isolation and quantification of β-D glucopyranosyl abscisate from leaves of Xanthium and spinach. — Plant Physiol. 70: 227–231, 1982.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Brault M., Maldiney R.: Mechanisms of cytokinin action. — Plant Physiol. Bioch. 37: 403–412, 1999.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Breštič M., Živčák M.: PSII fluorescence techniques for measurement of drought and high temperature stress signal in plants: protocols and applications. — In: Rout G.R., Das A.B. (ed.): Molecular Stress Physiology of Plants. Pp. 87–131. Springer, Dordrecht 2013

    Google Scholar 

  • Dadbakhsh A., Yazdansepas A., Ahmadizadeh M.: Influence of water deficit on yield and some quantitative traits in wheat genotypes. — Curr. Res. J. Biol. Sci. 4: 75–81, 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davey M.W.: Plant L-ascorbic acid; chemistry, function, metabolism, bioavailability and effect of processing. — J. Sci. Food Agri.–80: 825–860, 2000.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dolatabadian A., Modarres Sanavy S.A.M., Asilan K.S.: Effect of ascorbic acid foliar application on yield, yield components and several morphological traits of grain corn under water deficit stress conditions. — Not. Sci. Biol. 2: 45–50, 2010.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dowdle J., Ishikawa T., Gatzek S. et al.: Two genes in Arabidopsis thaliana encoding GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase are required for ascorbate biosynthesis and seedling viability. — Plant J. 52: 673–689, 2007.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dwivedi S.K., Singh V.P., Arora A. et al.: Combined effect of cytokinin, paclobutrazol and ascorbic acid on nitrogen metabolism and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under water deficit stress condition. — Ind. J. Plant Physiol. 17: 259–267, 2012

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwivedi S.K., Arora A., Kumar S.: Paclobutrazol-induced alleviation of water-deficit damage in relation to photosynthetic characteristics and expression of stress markers in contrasting wheat genotypes. — Photosynthetica 54: 1–9, 2016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Hafid R., Smith D.H., Karrou M. et al.: Physiological responses of spring durum wheat cultivars to early season drought in a mediterranean environment. — Ann. Bot.-London 81: 363–370, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher R.A., Gilley A., Sankhla N. et al.: Triazoles as plant growth regulators and stress protectants. — In: Janick J. (ed.): Horticultural Reviews, Vol. 24. Pp. 55–138, John Wiley & Sons, New York 2000.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hameed A., Gulzar S., Aziz I. et al.: Effects of salinity and ascorbic acid on growth, water status and antioxidant system in a perennial halophyte. — AoB Plants 19: 7, 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiscox J.D., Israelstam G.F.: A method for the extraction of chlorophyll from leaf tissue without maceration. — Can. J. Bot. 57: 1332–1334, 1979.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC.: Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Pp. 104. Forth AR Report, Geneva 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khalil S.E., Nahed G., Aziz A. et al.: Effect of water stress, ascorbic acid and spraying time on some morphological and biochemical composition of Ocimum basilicum. — J. Am. Sci. 6: 33–46, 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lam H.M., Coschigano K.T., Oliveira I.C. et al.: The moleculargenetics of nitrogen assimilation into amino acids in higher plants. — Annu. Rev. Plant Phys. 47: 569–593, 1996.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawlor D.W.: The effect of water deficit on photosynthesis. — In: Smirnoff N. (ed.): Environment and Plant Metabolism, Flexibility and Acclimation. Pp. 129–160. BIOS Sci. Publ., London 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin U., Palladry S.G., Bahari Z.A.: Dehydration tolerance of leaf tissues of six woody angiosperm species. — Physiol. Plantarum 69: 182–186, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quirino B.F., Noh Y.S., Himelblau E. et al.: Molecular aspects of leaf senescence. — Trends Plant Sci. 5: 278–282, 2000.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rad M.R.N., Kadir M.A., Rafii M.Y. et al.: Gene action for physiological parameters and use of relative water content (RWC) for selection of tolerant and high yield genotypes in F2 population of wheat. — Aust. J. Crop Sci. 7: 407–417, 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie S.W., Nguyen H.T., Holaday A.S.: leaf Water content and gas exchange parameters of two wheat genotypes differing in drought resistance. — Crop Sci. 30: 105–111, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sairam R.K., Deshmukh P.S., Shukla D.S.: Tolerance to drought and temperature stress in relation to increased antioxidant enzyme activity in wheat. — J. Agron. Crop Sci. 178: 171–177, 1997.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Senaratana T., Kersi B.D.: Characterization of solute efflux from dehydration injured soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) seeds. — Plant Physiol. 72: 911–914, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shah N.H., Paulsen G.M.: Interaction of drought and high temperature on photosynthesis and grain filling of wheat. — Plant Soil 257: 219–226, 2003.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siddique R.B., Hamid A., Islam M.S.: Drought stress effects on water relations of wheat. — Bot. Bull. Acad. Sin. 41: 35–39, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Subhan D., Murthy S.D.S.: Senescence retarding effect of metal ions: pigment and protein contents and photochemical activities of detached primary leaves of wheat. — Photosynthetica 39: 53–58, 2001.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sylvester-Bradley R., Scott R.K., Wright C.E.: Physiology in the production and improvement of cereals. — In: Home-Grown Cereals Authority Research Review. HGCA, London 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasquez-Tello A., Zuily-Fodil Y., Pham-Thi A.T. et al.: Electrolyte and Pi leakages and soluble sugar content as physiological tests for screening resistance to water stress in Phaseolus and Vigna species. — J. Exp. Bot. 41: 827–832, 1990.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weatherley P.E.: Studies in the water relations of the cotton plant. I. The field measurements of water deficit in leaves. — New Phytol. 49: 81–97, 1950.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye Q.F., Zhou W.J., Xu H.F. et al.: Effects of S-3307 on levels of endogenous (IAA, ABA and ZT) and physiological of rape seedlings. — Acta Agri. 7: 45–456, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaharieva M., Gaulin E., Havaux M. et al.: Drought and heat responses in the wild wheat relative Aegilops geniculata Roth. — Crop Sci. 41: 1321–1329, 2001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou W., Ye Q.: Physiological and yield effects of uniconazole on winter rape (Brassica napus L.). — J. Plant Growth Regul. 15: 69–73, 1996.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plant Physiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 112, India

    A. Arora & V. P. Singh

  2. Division of Crop Research, ICAR Research complex for Eastern Region, Patna, Bihar, 800 014, India

    S. K. Dwivedi

  3. Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 112, India

    G. P. Singh

Authors
  1. S. K. Dwivedi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Arora
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. V. P. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. P. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. K. Dwivedi.

Additional information

Acknowledgement: Financial assistance provided by ICAR, CSIR and facility provided by Division of Plant Physiology, IARI, New Delhi are gratefully acknowledged.

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dwivedi, S.K., Arora, A., Singh, V.P. et al. Induction of water deficit tolerance in wheat due to exogenous application of plant growth regulators: membrane stability, water relations and photosynthesis. Photosynthetica 56, 478–486 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-017-0695-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-017-0695-2

Additional key words

Search

Navigation