Journal Article

Differential photosynthetic responses to drought stress in peanut varieties: insights from transcriptome profiling and JIP-Test analysis

Ren, Jingyao, Yu, Haiqiu, Zhao, Xinhua, Ai, Xin, Guo, Pei, Wang, Jing, Ma, Xinlei, Zou, Hongtao

2025

Overview

Background Drought stress poses a critical constraint to plant growth by impairing photosynthetic efficiency in crops. Results Through transcriptome profiling of two peanut cultivars with contrasting drought tolerance, Fuhua18 (drought-sensitive, FH18) and Nonghua5 (drought-tolerant, NH5), we identified significant enrichment of differentially expressed genes in photosynthesis-related pathways. Notably, these genes were predominantly downregulated in FH18. Subsequent physiological analysis revealed cultivar-specific responses: Chlorophyll content decreased in FH18 but increased in NH5 after 24 h of drought treatment, accompanied by significant reductions in net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and water use efficiency (WUE) in both cultivars. The drought-induced physiological perturbations were further evidenced by elevated electrolyte leakage and activated antioxidant systems. To dissect photosynthetic apparatus dynamics, we implemented JIP-test analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics. Both cultivars exhibited substantial increases in Vj and Vi parameters at 24 h, while FH18 demonstrated a pronounced elevation in Vk during the O-J phase transition, suggesting severe impairment of the oxygen-evolving complex. Quantitative evaluation of photosynthetic performance indices revealed marked declines in PI abs and PI total , indicating systemic damage to both PSI and PSII under drought stress. Comparative analysis identified 11 traits showing significant inter-cultivar variation, particularly in PSII reaction center parameters including PI abs , DI 0 /RC, RE 0 /RC, ABS/RC, and TR 0 /RC. Conclusion These findings provide mechanistic insights into cultivar-dependent photosynthetic responses to drought stress, offering potential biomarkers for breeding drought-resilient peanut varieties.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Abiotic stress / Agriculture / antioxidants / Arachis - genetics / Arachis - metabolism / Arachis - physiology / Biological markers / Biomarkers / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Chlorophyll / Chlorophyll - metabolism / Chloroplasts / Comparative analysis / Cultivars / Drought / Drought resistance / Drought stress / drought tolerance / Droughts / Efficiency / Electrolyte leakage / Enzymes / Gene Expression Profiling / gene expression regulation / Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Genes / Genetic aspects / Genomes / Hardiness / Humidity / Identification and classification / JIP-test / Kinetics / Leaves / Life Sciences / Methods / oxygen evolving complex / Parameters / Peanut / Peanuts / Performance indices / phase transition / Phase transitions / Photosynthesis / Photosynthesis - genetics / Photosynthesis - physiology / Photosynthetic apparatus / Photosystem II / Physiological aspects / Physiology / Plant breeding / Plant growth / Plant Sciences / Plants / Production processes / PSII performance / quantitative analysis / RNA sequencing / Seeds / Statistical analysis / Stress, Physiological / Transcriptome / Transcriptomes / Tree Biology / water stress / Water use / Water use efficiency