Adaptation to and recovery from drought stress at vegetative stages in wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars
Muhammad Abid A B , Zhongwei Tian A , Syed Tahir Ata-Ul-Karim A , Feng Wang A , Yang Liu A , Rizwan Zahoor A , Dong Jiang A and Tingbo Dai A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Information Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu Province, 210 095, PR China.
B Department of Soil Conservation, Soon Valley, Khushab 41 000, Punjab, Pakistan.
C Corresponding author. Email: tingbod@njau.edu.cn
Functional Plant Biology 43(12) 1159-1169 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP16150
Submitted: 17 April 2016 Accepted: 2 August 2016 Published: 10 October 2016
Abstract
Studying plants’ capability to adapt and recover from drought stress is essential because of the ever-changing nature of drought events. To evaluate the genotypically variable morpho-physiological adaptations to drought stress and recovery after re-watering, two wheat cultivars (Luhan-7 and Yangmai-16) were pot-cultured under three levels of water stress: severe (35–40% field capacity, FC) and moderate water deficits (55–60% FC) and well-watered conditions. Drought stress was applied at tillering (Feekes 2 stage) and jointing (Feekes 6 stage), respectively, followed by re-watering, and we observed changes in leaf characteristics, growth and physiological activities during water stress and rewatering periods as well as final grain yield traits at maturity. Results showed that drought stress adaptability associated with reduced leaf area, higher leaf thickness, chlorophyll, leaf dry matter and maintenance of leaf water potential were more strongly pronounced in Luhan-7 than in Yangmai-16. Under moderate stress both cultivars exhibited a small decrease in leaf gas-exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence activities, followed by rapid recovery. Under severe drought stress, Yangmai-16 displayed relatively less adaptability to drought, with a slower recovery after re-watering and a greater decrease in grain yield. It was concluded that even though crop growth rate completely recovered after re-watering, the final dry matter and grain yield outcomes were affected by pre-drought stress, and were dependant on the drought intensity, adaptability and recovery differences of the cultivars and growth stage. It was also concluded that genotypic variations in adaptability and recovery from drought stress are the indicators of drought tolerance and grain yield sustainability in wheat.
Additional keywords: heat dissipation, pre-drought limitations, photosynthetic process, relative growth rate, vegetative stages.
References
Abid M, Tian Z, Ata-UI-Karim ST, Liu Y, Cui Y, Dai T (2016a) Improved tolerance to post-anthesis drought stress by pre-drought priming at vegetative stages in drought-tolerant and -sensitive wheat cultivars. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 106, 218–227.| Improved tolerance to post-anthesis drought stress by pre-drought priming at vegetative stages in drought-tolerant and -sensitive wheat cultivars.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC28XnvV2qtb8%3D&md5=0547ddee96a94e33fb28772a01a840acCAS | 27179928PubMed |
Abid M, Tian Z, Ata-ul-karim ST, Cui Y, Liu Y, Jiang D, Dai T (2016b) Nitrogen nutrition improves the potential of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to alleviate the effects of drought stress during vegetative growth periods. Frontiers in Plant Science 338, 1–14.
Ali MA, Jabran K, Awan SI, Abbas A, Ehsanullah , Zulkiffal M, Rehman A (2011) Morpho-physiological diversity and its implications for improving drought tolerance in grain sorghum at different growth stages. Australian Journal of Crop Science 5, 311–320.
Araus JL, Amaro T, Zuhair Y, Nachitm MN (1997) Effect of leaf structure and water status on carbon isotope discrimination in field-grown durum wheat. Plant, Cell & Environment 20, 1484–1494.
| Effect of leaf structure and water status on carbon isotope discrimination in field-grown durum wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chaves MM, Pereira JS, Maroco J, Rodrigues ML, Ricardo CPP, Osório ML, Pinheiro C (2002) How plants cope with water stress in the field. Photosynthesis and growth. Annals of Botany 89, 907–916.
| How plants cope with water stress in the field. Photosynthesis and growth.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XlsVeitb4%3D&md5=be4c9a716db7f733ede2d4179f42cdb8CAS | 12102516PubMed |
Chen D, Wang S, Cao B, Cao D, Leng G, Li H, Yin L, Shan L, Deng X (2015) Genotypic variation in growth and physiological response to drought stress and re-watering reveals the critical role of recovery in drought adaptation in maize seedlings. Frontiers in Plant Science 6, 1–15.
Cui Y, Tian Z, Zhang X, Muhammad A, Han H (2015) Effect of water deficit during vegetative growth periods on post-anthesis photosynthetic capacity and grain yield in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 37, 196–205.
| Effect of water deficit during vegetative growth periods on post-anthesis photosynthetic capacity and grain yield in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ennahli S, Earl HJ (2005) Physiological limitations to photosynthetic carbon assimilation in cotton under water stress. Crop Science 45, 2374–2382.
| Physiological limitations to photosynthetic carbon assimilation in cotton under water stress.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXht1OktbrP&md5=514819a1e437018bb909bc17e839e512CAS |
Fang Y, Xiong L (2015) General mechanisms of drought response and their application in drought resistance improvement in plants. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 72, 673–689.
| General mechanisms of drought response and their application in drought resistance improvement in plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXhsl2gt73K&md5=5d6634acbcf12f229787caf77436cc1aCAS | 25336153PubMed |
Flexas J, Bota J, Escalona JM, Sampol B, Medrano H (2002) Effects of drought on photosynthesis in grapevines under field conditions: an evaluation of stomatal and mesophyll limitations. Functional Plant Biology 29, 461–471.
| Effects of drought on photosynthesis in grapevines under field conditions: an evaluation of stomatal and mesophyll limitations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Foulkes MJ, Sylvester-Bradley R, Weightman R, Snape JW (2007) Identifying physiological traits associated with improved drought resistance in winter wheat. Field Crops Research 103, 11–24.
| Identifying physiological traits associated with improved drought resistance in winter wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gallé A, Haldimann P, Feller U (2007) Photosynthetic performance and water relations in young pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens) trees during drought stress and recovery. New Phytologist 174, 799–810.
| Photosynthetic performance and water relations in young pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens) trees during drought stress and recovery.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17504463PubMed |
Galmés J, Flexas J, Savé R, Medrano H (2007) Water relations and stomatal characteristics of Mediterranean plants with different growth forms and leaf habits: responses to water stress and recovery. Plant and Soil 290, 139–155.
| Water relations and stomatal characteristics of Mediterranean plants with different growth forms and leaf habits: responses to water stress and recovery.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grassi G, Magnani F (2005) Stomatal, mesophyll conductance and biochemical limitations to photosynthesis as affected by drought and leaf ontogeny in ash and oak trees. Plant, Cell & Environment 28, 834–849.
| Stomatal, mesophyll conductance and biochemical limitations to photosynthesis as affected by drought and leaf ontogeny in ash and oak trees.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXms12gsL0%3D&md5=324aacbb92396a6d94a73427697bf2d0CAS |
Huang Y, Zhao Z (2001) Studies on several physiological indexes of the drought resistance of crossbreed corn and its comprehensive evaluation. Seed 1, 12–14.
Izanloo A, Condon AG, Langridge P, Tester M, Schnurbusch T (2008) Different mechanisms of adaptation to cyclic water stress in two South Australian bread wheat cultivars. Journal of Experimental Botany 59, 3327–3346.
| Different mechanisms of adaptation to cyclic water stress in two South Australian bread wheat cultivars.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXhtFWit7rE&md5=7f1df50162bb539ba070074f2bf6f0f2CAS | 18703496PubMed |
Karimi M, Siddique K (1991) Crop growth and relative growth rates of old and modern wheat cultivars. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 42, 13–20.
| Crop growth and relative growth rates of old and modern wheat cultivars.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Khanna-Chopra R, Selote DS (2007) Acclimation to drought stress generates oxidative stress tolerance in drought-resistant than -susceptible wheat cultivar under field conditions. Environmental and Experimental Botany 60, 276–283.
| Acclimation to drought stress generates oxidative stress tolerance in drought-resistant than -susceptible wheat cultivar under field conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXislWgtLg%3D&md5=fa28d335880e61763c5ee45f988cb2b9CAS |
Liu H, Sultan MARF, Liu XL, Zhang J, Yu F, Zhao HX (2015) Physiological and comparative proteomic analysis reveals different drought responses in roots and leaves of drought-tolerant wild wheat (Triticum boeoticum). PLoS One 10, e0121852
| Physiological and comparative proteomic analysis reveals different drought responses in roots and leaves of drought-tolerant wild wheat (Triticum boeoticum).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 25859656PubMed |
Maxwell K, Johnson GN (2000) Chlorophyll fluorescence – a practical guide. Journal of Experimental Botany 51, 659–668.
| Chlorophyll fluorescence – a practical guide.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXjtF2js74%3D&md5=b2079d1ff209536207d91054c5b02220CAS | 10938857PubMed |
Morgan JA (1986) The effects of N nutrition on the water relations and gas exchange characteristics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Plant Physiology 80, 52–58.
| The effects of N nutrition on the water relations and gas exchange characteristics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL28XhtVymsrg%3D&md5=fc06eab507b349985588f48ba03e6ca2CAS | 16664606PubMed |
Nezhadahmadi A, Prodhan Z, Faruq G (2013) Drought tolerance in wheat. Scientific World Journal 2013, 1–12.
| Drought tolerance in wheat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Saint Pierre C, Crossa JL, Bonnett D, Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K, Reynolds MP (2012) Phenotyping transgenic wheat for drought resistance. Journal of Experimental Botany 63, 1799–1808.
| Phenotyping transgenic wheat for drought resistance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38Xjslehsb0%3D&md5=edeb2316e0b065647deacc548fa131bbCAS | 22213810PubMed |
Vile D, Garnier É, Shipley B, Laurent G, Navas ML, Roumet C, Wright IJ (2005) Specific leaf area and dry matter content estimate thickness in laminar leaves. Annals of Botany 96, 1129–1136.
| Specific leaf area and dry matter content estimate thickness in laminar leaves.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16159941PubMed |
Wang S, Hu Y, She K, Zhou MF (2007) Gray relational grade analysis of agronomical and physi-biochemical traits related to drought tolerance in wheat. Scientia Agricultura Sinica 40, 2452–2459.
Wang X, Shi Y, Guo Z, Zhang Y, Yu Z (2015) Water use and soil nitrate nitrogen changes under supplemental irrigation with nitrogen application rate in wheat field. Field Crops Research 183, 117–125.
| Water use and soil nitrate nitrogen changes under supplemental irrigation with nitrogen application rate in wheat field.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Xu Z, Zhou G, Shimizu H (2009) Are plant growth and photosynthesis limited by pre-drought following rewatering in grass? Journal of Experimental Botany 60, 3737–3749.
| Are plant growth and photosynthesis limited by pre-drought following rewatering in grass?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXhtV2ks7%2FK&md5=b363ebe280ab1c89673b7104ceb40656CAS | 19596698PubMed |
Zlatev Z, Lidon FC (2012) An overview on drought induced changes in plant growth, water relations and photosynthesis. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture 24, 57–72.
