Effect of progressive water deficit stress on proline accumulation and protein profiles of leaves in chickpea

Water deficit stress is one of the important factors limiting chickpea production in arid and semi-arid regions of West Asia and North Africa. When water deficit stress is imposed, different molecular and biochemical responses take place. This study was carried out to investigate proline accumulation and protein profiles of leaves in three chickpea cultivars under normal watering (I1: irrigation based on 70 mm evaporation from class A pan), progressive water deficit (I2 and I3: 70…90…110…130 and 70…100…130 mm evaporation, respectively) and severe water stress (I4: 130 mm evaporation). The experiment was split-plot, based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replications. By increasing irrigation intervals, leaf proline content increased. Probable stress responsive proteins in relation to imposed water deficit stress was carried out by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) method. Water deficit stress increased concentration of soluble proteins in the leaves up to 43% in comparison with normal watering treatment (I1: 70…70), but did not significantly affect electrophoretic pattern of protein profiles. It seems that chickpea can be adapted to progressive water deficit stress conditions.Keywords: Chickpea, proline, protein profiles, water stress

COMPARING PROTEIN PATTERN AND DROUGHT TOLERANT INDICATORS AS SCREENING TECHNIQUES FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN COMMON WHEAT GENOTYPES

ABSTRACT: Drought stress is an important factor limiting crop production. Selection of resistant genotypes is a method to decrease the drought effects. In this investigation, eight wheat genotypes were assessed in two environments (irrigated and rain-fed) using randomized complete block design with three replications. Drought resistance indices were calculated using yield data in both stress and non stress conditions to identify resistant and susceptible genotypes. The analysis of variance based of proline content and yield showed genotypic differences among the wheat plants in response to the drought stress. Non-significant negative correlation was observed between seed yield in stress condition and proline content in stress condition. Proline content exhibited significant negative correlations with STI, GMP, HARM and MP. Significant correlations between proline content in stress condition and MP or TOL were also observed. The Cluster analysis assigned the genotypes into three groups with High-yielding (number 8), moderate-yielding (numbers 1 and 2) and low-yielding (numbers 7, 3, 4, 5 and 6). The SDS-PAGE analysis showed that resistant genotype (Pishgam) had lower variation in the protein bands pattern but three sensitive genotypes have most variation in the protein bands pattern