Journal Article

Analysis of Natural Variation in Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) Reveals Physiological Responses Underlying Drought Tolerance

Ye, Tiantian, Chan, Zhulong, Wang, Yanping, Cheng, Zhangmin, Shi, Haitao

2012

Overview

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) is a widely used warm-season turfgrass and one of the most drought tolerant species. Dissecting the natural variation in drought tolerance and physiological responses will bring us powerful basis and novel insight for plant breeding. In the present study, we evaluated the natural variation of drought tolerance among nine bermudagrass varieties by measuring physiological responses after drought stress treatment through withholding water. Three groups differing in drought tolerance were identified, including two tolerant, five moderately tolerant and two susceptible varieties. Under drought stress condition, drought sensitive variety (Yukon) showed relative higher water loss, more severe cell membrane damage (EL), and more accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA), while drought tolerant variety (Tifgreen) exhibited significantly higher antioxidant enzymes activities. Further results indicated that drought induced cell injury in different varieties (Yukon, SR9554 and Tifgreen) exhibited liner correlation with leaf water content (LWC), H₂O₂ content, MDA content and antioxidant enzyme activities. Additionally, Tifgreen plants had significantly higher levels of osmolytes (proline level and soluble sugars) when compared with Yukon and SR9554 under drought stress condition. Taken together, our results indicated that natural variation of drought stress tolerance in bermudagrass varieties might be largely related to the induced changes of water status, osmolyte accumulation and antioxidant defense system.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Accumulation / Adaptation, Physiological - genetics / Agricultural production / Analysis / Antioxidants / Antioxidants (Nutrients) / Antioxidants - metabolism / Arabidopsis / Arabidopsis thaliana / Atmospheric water / Biology / Carbohydrates - analysis / Cell injury / Cell membranes / Cynodon - chemistry / Cynodon - genetics / Cynodon - metabolism / Cynodon - physiology / Cynodon dactylon / Cynodon transvaalensis / Damage accumulation / Dehydration - genetics / Drought / Drought resistance / Droughts / Electrolytes / Enzymatic activity / Enzymes / Gene expression / Genetic Variation - physiology / Germplasm / Hydrogen / Hydrogen peroxide / Laboratories / Leaf water / Lolium perenne / Malondialdehyde / Moisture content / Oryza / Oxidative stress / Physiological aspects / Physiological responses / Physiology / Plant breeding / Proline / Proline - analysis / Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism / Signal transduction / Species Specificity / Stress, Physiological - genetics / Stresses / Sugar / Trends / Turfgrasses / Variation / Warm seasons / Water content / Water loss / Water shortages / Water treatment / Water-Electrolyte Balance - genetics / Yukon Territory