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Regulation of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle in wild almond during drought stress

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Abstract

In wild species of almond (Prunus spp.), the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as the levels of ascorbate/glutathione pools and H2O2 were subjected to water deficit and shade conditions. After 60 days of water shortage, the species were subjected to a rewatering treatment. During water recovery, leaves exposed to sunlight and leaves under shade conditions of about 20–35% of environmental irradiance were sampled. After 70 days without irrigation, mean predawn leaf water potential of all the species fell from −0.32 to −2.30 MPa and marked decreases in CO2 uptake and transpiration occurred. The activities of APX, MDHAR, DHAR, and GR increased in relation to the severity of drought stress in all the wild species studied. Generally, APX, MDHAR, DHAR, and GR were down-regulated during the rewatering phase and their activities decreased faster in shaded leaves than in sun-exposed leaves. The levels in total ascorbate, glutathione, and H2O2 were directly related to the increase in drought stress and subsequently decreased during rewatering. The antioxidant response of wild almond species to drought stress limits cellular damage caused by reactive oxygen species during periods of water deficit and may be of key importance for the selection of drought-resistant rootstocks for cultivated almond.

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Abbreviations

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

AsA:

ascorbate

DHA:

dehydroascorbate

DHAR:

dehydroascorbate reductase

GR:

glutathione reductase

GSH:

glutathione

GSSG:

glutathione disulfide

LWP:

leaf water potential

MDHA:

monodehydroascorbate

MDHAR:

monodehydroascorbate reductase

PAR:

photosynthetic active radiation

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, P.O. Box 115, Shahrekord, Iran

    K. Sorkheh, B. Shiran, V. Rouhi & M. Khodambashi

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze dei Sistemi Colturali, Forestali e dell’ Ambiente, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy

    A. Sofo

Authors
  1. K. Sorkheh
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  2. B. Shiran
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  3. V. Rouhi
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  4. M. Khodambashi
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  5. A. Sofo
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Correspondence to A. Sofo.

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Sorkheh, K., Shiran, B., Rouhi, V. et al. Regulation of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle in wild almond during drought stress. Russ J Plant Physiol 58, 76–84 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443711010201

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