Melia azedarach plants show tolerance properties to water shortage treatment: an ecophysiological study.
Candidate species for reforestation of areas prone to drought must combine water stress (WS) tolerance and economic or medicinal interest. Melia azedarach produces high quality timber and has insecticidal and medicinal properties. However, the impact of WS on M. azedarach has not yet been studied. Two-month old M. azedarach plants were exposed to WS during 20 days. After this period, plant's growth, water potential, photosynthetic performance and antioxidant capacity were evaluated. WS did not affect plants' growth, but induced stomatal closure, reduced net CO₂ assimilation rate (A) and the intercellular CO₂ availability in mesophyll (C(i)). WS also reduced the photosynthetic efficiency of PSII but not the pigment levels. WS up-regulated the antioxidant enzymes and stimulated the production of antioxidant metabolites, preventing lipid peroxidation. Therefore, despite some repression of photosynthetic parameters by WS, they did not compromise plant growth, and plants increased their antioxidant capacity. Our data demonstrate that M. azedarach juvenile plants have the potential to acclimate to water shortage conditions, opening new perspectives to the use of this species in reforestation/afforestation programs of drought prone areas.
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Cytometry, Department of Biology/CESAM, University Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
Maria Celeste
MC
Dias
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Cytometry, Department of Biology/CESAM, University Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
Carla
C
Azevedo
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Cytometry, Department of Biology/CESAM, University Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; Ministério da Educação, Dili, Timor-Leste.
Maria
M
Costa
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Cytometry, Department of Biology/CESAM, University Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
Glória
G
Pinto
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Cytometry, Department of Biology/CESAM, University Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: csantos@ua.pt.
Conceição
C
Santos
D000064:Acclimatization; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D055864:Droughts; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D031586:Melia azedarach / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D054046:Plant Stomata; D018526:Plant Transpiration; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014197:Trees; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014867:Water
D000975:Antioxidants; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D014867:Water; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002245:Carbon Dioxide
A; APX; Antioxidant system; AsA; C(i); CAT; CMP; Cars; Chl; DHA; DW; E; F(v); F(v)/F(m); G-POX; GR; GSH; GSSG; H(2)O(2); Melia azedarach; Oxidative stress; PS; Photosynthesis; ROS; SOD; WS; WW; Water deficit; ascorbate; ascorbate peroxidase; carotenoids; catalase; cell membrane permeability; chlorophyll; dehydroascorbate; dry weight; effective quantum efficiency of PSII; glutathione; glutathione reductase; gs; guaiacol peroxidase; hydrogen peroxide; intercellular CO(2) concentration; maximum quantum yield of photosystem II; net CO(2) assimilation rate; oxidized glutathione; photosystem; reactive oxygen species; stomatal conductance; superoxide dismutase; transpiration rate; variable fluorescence; water potential; water stress; well watered; Φ(PSII); ψ