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Influence of abiotic stresses on the antioxidant enzyme activity of cereals

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Abstract

The unfavourable effects of climate change were studied in terms of changes in the stress tolerance of cereals. Changes in the antioxidant enzyme activities were analysed as a function of the weather in a 2-year field experiment in order to determine the effect of extreme temperatures and rainfall conditions on the enzyme activity. The enzyme responses of two winter wheat genotypes to drought stress, simulated by withholding water completely for 7 days, were analysed under phytotronic conditions in three phenophases. The plants were raised either at ambient CO2 concentration or at a doubled level. The quantities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were determined from leaf samples. The peroxidases had the most intense activity during the winter and early spring periods, with guaiacol peroxidase being dominant until the end of the winter. CAT generally became more active in late spring and summer, the activity being correlated with the development of water deficiency. The activity of GR, GST, POD and CAT was found to increase during the dry period, while the role of GR and POD was extremely important for resistance to low temperature.

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Abbreviations

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

CAT:

Catalase

EC:

Elevated CO2 (750 μmol mol−1)

FNA:

First node appearance

GF:

Grain filling

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GST:

Glutathione-S-transferase

H:

Heading

MAM:

Mv Mambo (wheat variety)

NC:

Ambient CO2 (380 μmol mol−1)

POD:

Guaiacol peroxidase

REG:

Mv Regiment (wheat variety)

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the National Scientific Research Fund (OTKA K63369) and the EU-FP7-REGPOT 2007-1 programme (AGRISAFE 203288). Thanks are due to the staff of the Department of Plant Physiology and the Department of Cereal Resistance Breeding (ARI HAS) for their help in carrying out the measurements and analysing the results.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cereal Resistance Breeding Department, Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Brunszvik u. 2, Martonvásár, 2462, Hungary

    Balázs Varga, Emese László & Ottó Veisz

  2. Plant Physiology Department, Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Brunszvik u. 2, Martonvásár, 2462, Hungary

    Tibor Janda

Authors
  1. Balázs Varga
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  2. Tibor Janda
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  3. Emese László
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  4. Ottó Veisz
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Correspondence to Balázs Varga.

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Communicated by L. A. Kleczkowski.

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Varga, B., Janda, T., László, E. et al. Influence of abiotic stresses on the antioxidant enzyme activity of cereals. Acta Physiol Plant 34, 849–858 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-011-0882-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-011-0882-x

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