Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, 1-4-4 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
Abstract
The present study sought to investigate the factors implicated in growth impairment of huckleberry
(a leafy vegetable) underwater stress conditions. To achieve this,
seedlings of plant were subjected to control, mild stress and severe
stress conditions for 30 days. Plant growth, plant water relation, gas
exchange, oxidative stress damage, electrolyte leakage rate, mineral
content and osmolyte accumulation were measured. Water deficit markedly
decreased leaf, stem and root growth. Leaf photosynthetic rate was
tremendously reduced by decrease in stomatal conductance under stress
conditions. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content markedly increased under mild
(82%) and severe (131%) stress conditions, while electrolyte leakage
rate (ELR) increased by 59% under mild stress and 3-fold under severe
stress. Mineral content in leaf was high in stressed plants, while
proline content markedly increased under mild stress (12-fold) and
severe stress (15-fold), with corresponding decrease in osmotic
potential at full turgor and an increase in osmotic adjustment. These
results suggest that maintenance of high mineral content and osmotic
adjustment constitute important adaptations in huckleberry
under water deficit conditions and that growth depression under drought
stress would be mainly caused by increased electrolyte leakage
resulting from membrane damage induced by oxidative stress. © Triveni
Enterprises, Lucknow (India).
Author keywords
Electrolyte leakage rate; Lipid peroxidation; Mineral content; Osmotic adjustment; Oxidative stress
ISSN: 02548704
CODEN: JEBIDSource Type: Journal
Original language: English
Document Type: Article
Publisher: Triveni Enterprises
