Analysis of maize photosyntheis parameters and whole plant oxidative damage under long-term drought.

We test if maize maintain yield under long-term drought throught improvement of photosyntheis (A) coupled with up-regulation of the antioxidant system induced by increase in levels of abscisic acid (ABA). Four maize genotypes with constrasting drought tolerance: BRS1010 and 2B710 (sensitive) and DKB 390 and BRS1055 (tolerant) in two soil water levels, field capacity (FC) and water deficit (WD) were used. WD was applied at the pre-flowering stage for 12 days, and oxidative damage was measured as malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation in whole plant. Plants from tolerant genotypes DKB390 and BRS1055 showed higher A and had no signal of oxidative damage compared to sensitive genotypes 2B710 and BRS1010 under WD, resulting in a higher yield attributes. For our surprising, it was dissociated from up-regulation of the antioxidant system ABA-mediated. In turn, plants from two sensitive genotypes under WD showed compared to FC consistent reduction of A due to mesophyll conductance (gm) limitation. Only WD plants from sensitive genotype BRS1010 presented leaf ABA levels increased related to its counterparts under FC; however, due to the inactivation of catalase activity the oxidative damage control was not effective, resulting a hardly MDA acumulation in both leaves and roots. The maize tolerance under long-term drought is linked to scape of gm decline

Corn root morphoanatomy at different development stages and yield under water stress.

The objective of this work was to characterize the morphoanatomy of roots and the yield traits of two corn hybrids contrasting for drought tolerance (DKB 390, tolerant; and BRS 1030, sensitive), at different stages of development. Water deficit was imposed for ten days, in a greenhouse, at three growth stages: V5, VT, and R3. These treatments were combined to generate cumulative stress during the plant cycle, as: V5VT, V5R3, VTR3, and V5VTR3. The following were analyzed: root anatomy; proportion of aerenchyma in the cortex; metaxylem number and diameter; phloem thickness; as well as morphological characteristics, such as root length, volume, and surface area, specific root length, length of fine roots, grain yield, and ear length and diameter. Development stage affected the responses to stress: DKB 390 showed the best performance for root morphoanatomy and yield traits, under drought stress, at the reproductive stages, mainly R3, and in the treatments with cumulative stress, especially V5VTR3; whereas BRS 1030 presented higher means for the studied parameters, mainly at the V5 and VT stages, but did not show a higher grain yield under water stress. The greater tolerance of the DKB 390 hybrid to water deficit is probably linked with a memory of pre?exposure to water stress at different growth stages

Relationship between nitric oxide, enzymatic antioxidant system and ABA in maize under long-term drought.

ABSTRACT: The relationship between nitric oxide (NO) and up-regulation of the antioxidant system ABA-mediated in maize was evaluated under long-term drought. Two maize genotypes with contrasting drought tolerance (BRS1010 - sensitive and DKB390 - tolerant) were exposed to two soil water levels, field capacity (FC) and water deficit (WD) at pre-flowering. After 12 days under these conditions, plants were irrigated and soil water level kept at FC until harvest. The plants BRS1010 under water deficit (WD) showed lower catalase activity and reduced levels of NO, whereas ABA and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels increased compared to plants under FC. Although, DKB390 plants under WD did not present changes on the activity of enzymatic antioxidant system and ABA compared to plants at FC, and cellular damage remain unaltered; this fact was associated with the increase in NO levels. As a result, DKB390 plants under WD showed harvest index values 50% higher than BRS1010 under the same condition. RESUMO: Avaliou-se a relação entre óxido nítrico (NO) e aumento na atividade de enzimas do sistema antioxidante induzido por ácido abscísico (ABA) em milho sob déficit hídrico severo. Para tanto, dois genótipos de milho contrastantes para tolerância à seca (BRS1010 - sensível e DKB390 - tolerante) foram cultivados sob irrigação e, ao atingirem o préflorescimento, foram expostos a dois níveis de água no solo (CC - capacidade de campo e DH - déficit hídrico). Após 12 dias nessas condições, a irrigação foi restabelecida de modo a manter o nível de água no solo sob CC até a colheita. Plantas do BRS1010 sob DH tiveram a atividade da enzima catalase e os níveis de NO diminuídos, enquanto os níveis de ABA e de malonaldeido (MDA) foram aumentados em relação às suas respectivas plantas sob CC. Por sua vez, plantas do DKB390 sob DH não apresentaram variações na atividade de enzimas do sistema antioxidante, tampouco nos níveis de ABA em relação às suas respectivas plantas sob CC, e ainda assim os níveis de MDA não foram alterados; fato acoplado a aumentos nos níveis de NO. Consequentemente, sob DH, as plantas oriundas do DKB390 apresentaram valores 50% maiores de índice de colheita em relação às dos BRS1010.nder this same conditio

Drought-tolerant maize genotypes invest in root system and maintain high harvest index during water stress

ABSTRACT- Drought is considered the primary limitation to agriculture and, can reduce grain yield by up to 60% when occurs at pre-flowering in maize. In this context this research, aimed to understand the maize genotypes behavior to drought management and carbon partitioning between grain production and structures to maintain hydration when submitted to drought. Maize genotypes tolerant (DKB390 and P30F35) and sensitive (BRS1010 and 2B710) to drought were grown in a greenhouse using two water conditions: irrigated and stressed. Water deficit was imposed at pre-flowering and maintained for twelve days. Leaf water potential, gaseous exchange and male and female flowering interval were evaluated. At the end of the cycle, production components and root/shoot ratio dry weight were evaluated. Drought-tolerant genotypes used root system as a mechanism of tolerance to drought, which ensure greater efficiency in absorption and loss of water and, consequently, greater stomatal conductance during the drought, compared to the sensitive-genotypes. In addition, drought-tolerant genotypes showed greater stability in the source-sink relationship, exhibiting higher photosynthetic rate and harvest index. RESUMO- A seca é considerada restrição primária à agricultura, e no milho, quando ocorre no pré-florescimento, pode reduzir o rendimento de grãos em até 60%. Neste contexto, objetivou-se entender como genótipos de milho contrastantes para tolerância à seca, gerenciam o particionamento de carbono entre produção de grãos e estruturas de manutenção da hidratação durante a seca. Para isso, em casa de vegetação cultivaram-se genótipos de milhotolerantes (DKB390 e P30F35) e sensíveis (BRS1010 e 2B710) à seca, em duas condições hídricas: irrigado normal e déficit hídrico. No pré-florecimento foi imposto o déficit hídrico, que foi mantido por doze dias. Posteriormente avaliou-se o potencial hídrico foliar, trocas gasosas e intervalo de florescimento masculino e feminino. No final do ciclo, avaliaram-se os componentes de produção e a razão raiz/parte aérea. Constatou-se que, genótipos tolerantes utilizaram preferencialmente sistema radicular como um mecanismo de tolerância à seca, o que garantiu a esses genótipos, maior eficiência entre a absorção e perda de água e, consequentemente, maior condutância estomática durante a seca, em relação aos genótipos sensíveis. Além disso, os genótipos tolerantes apresentaram maior equilíbrio em suas relações fonte e dreno, exibindo maiores taxa fotossintética e índice de colheita