Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(4):133-139 | DOI: 10.17221/392-PSE

Performance index as a sensitive indicator of water stress in Triticum aestivum L.

M. Živčák, M. Brestič, K. Olšovská, P. Slamka
Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic

Polyphasic chlorophyll α fluorescence represents a promising tool for detection of plant tolerance to various environmental stresses. In pot vegetation experiments, plants of seven winter wheat varieties were screened for their drought tolerance. The drought stress was initiated in plants by withholding water at the beginning of anthesis. While water content was measured continuously as relative water content (RWC), fast chlorophyll α fluorescence kinetics was measured and analysed on dehydrating intact leaves by the JIP-test (analysis of O-J-I-P fluorescence transient). Maximum quantum efficiency of PS II photochemistry (FV/FM) parameter was almost unaffected by dehydration until the severe water stress occurred. In contrast to this a continuous decrease of performance index (PIabs) parameter (Strasser et al. 1995) was observed from the very beginning of dehydration following the decrease of RWC. Statistically significant differences were also found in the PIabs parameter among all tested varieties. The results show that PIabs may serve as an index of plant/variety vitality and/or sensitivity to water stress reflecting their different drought tolerance.

Keywords: chlorophyll a fluorescence; drought; drought tolerance; photosynthesis; photosystem II; Triticum aestivum L.

Published: April 30, 2008  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Živčák M, Brestič M, Olšovská K, Slamka P. Performance index as a sensitive indicator of water stress in Triticum aestivum L. Plant Soil Environ.. 2008;54(4):133-139. doi: 10.17221/392-PSE.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Araus J.L., Amaro T., Voltas J., Nakkoul H., Nachit M.M. (1998): Chlorophyll fluorescence as a selection criterion for grain yield in durum wheat under Mediterranean conditions. Field Crops Res., 55: 209-223. Go to original source...
    2. Araus J.L., Slafer G.A., Reynolds M.P., Royo C. (2002): Plant breeding and water relations in C3 cereals: What to breed for? Ann. Bot., 89: 925-940. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    3. Baker N.R., Rosenqvist E. (2004): Applications of chlorophyll fluorescence can improve crop production strategies: an examination of future possibilities. J. Exp. Bot., 55: 1607-1621. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    4. Brestič M., Živčák M., Olšovská K. (2007): Photosynthesis parameters may serve to better characterization and parametrization of wheat genotypes under climate change conditions. Acta Physiol. Plant., 29: S43-S43.
    5. Chaves M.M. (1991): Effects of water deficit on carbon assimilation. J. Exp. Bot., 42: 1-16. Go to original source...
    6. Chaves M.M., Pereira J.S., Maroco J., Rodriguez M.L., Ricardo C.P.P., Osório M.L., Carvalho J., Faria T., Pinheiro C. (2002): How plants cope with water stress in the field. Photosynthesis and growth. Ann. Bot., 89: 907-916. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Christen D., Schönmann S., Jermini M., Strasser R.J., Dèfago G. (2007): Characterization and early detection of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) stress responses to esca disease by in situ chlorophyll fluorescence and comparison with drought stress. Environ. Exp. Bot., 60: 504-514. Go to original source...
    8. Cornic G., Briantais J.M. (1991): Partitioning of photosynthetic electron flow between CO 2 and O 2 reduction in a C3 leaf (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) at different CO2 concentrations and during drought stress. Planta, 183: 178-184. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. Cornic G., Fresneau C. (2002): Photosynthetic carbon reduction and carbon oxidation cycles are the main electron sinks for photosystem II activity during a mild drought. Ann. Bot., 89: 887-894. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Cornic G., Ghashghaie J., Genty B., Briantias J.M. (1992): Leaf photosynthesis is resistant to a mild drought stress. Photosynthetica, 27: 259-309.
    11. Force L., Critchley C., Van Rensen J.J.S. (2003): New fluorescence parameters for monitoring photosynthesis in plants. Photosynth. Res., 78: 17-33. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Genty B., Briantais J.M., Da Silva J.B.V. (1987): Effects of drought on primary photosynthetic processes of cotton leaves. Plant Physiol., 83: 360-364. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Havaux M. (1992): Stress tolerance of photosystem II in vivo. Plant Physiol., 100: 424-432. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Jiang C.D., Shi L., Gao H.Y., Schansker G., Tóth S.Z., Strasser R.J. (2006): Development of photosystems 2 and 1 during leaf growth in grapevine seedlings probed by chlorophyll a fluorescence transient and 820 nm transmission in vivo. Photosynthetica, 44: 454-463. Go to original source...
    15. Lu C., Zhang J. (1998): Modifications in photosystem II photochemistry in senescent leaves of maize plants. J. Exp. Bot., 49: 1671-1679. Go to original source...
    16. Oukarroum A., El Madidi S., Schansker G., Strasser R.J. (2007): Probing the responses of barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) by chlorophyll a fluorescence OLKJIP under drought stress and re-watering. Environ. Exp. Bot., 60: 438-446. Go to original source...
    17. Spano G., Di Fonzo N., Perrotta C., Platani C., Ronga G., Lawlor D.W., Napier J.A., Shewry P.R. (2003): Physiological characterization of 'stay green' mutants in durum wheat. J. Exp. Bot., 54: 1415-1420. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Strasser R.J., Srivastava A., Govindjee (1995): Polyphasic chlorophyll a fluorescence transients in plants and cyanobacteria. Photochem. Photobiol., 61: 32-42. Go to original source...
    19. Strasser R.J., Srivastava A., Tsimilli-Michael M. (2000): The fluorescence transient as a tool to characterize and screen photosynthetic samples. In: Yunus M., Pathre U., Mohanty P. (eds.): Probing Photosynthesis: Mechanisms, Regulation and Adaptation. Taylor and Francis, London: 445-483.
    20. Strasser R.J., Tsimilli-Michael M., Srivastava A. (2004): Analysis of the fluorescence transient. In: George C., Papageorgiou C., Govindjee (eds.): Chlorophyll Fluorescence: A Signature of Photosynthesis. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration Series. Springer, Dordrecht: 321-362. Go to original source...
    21. Svobodová I., Míša P. (2004): Effect of drought stress on the formation of yield elements in spring barley and the potential of stress expression reduction by foliar application of fertilizers and growth stimulator. Plant Soil Environ., 50: 439-446. Go to original source...
    22. Turner N.C. (1981): Techniques and experimental approaches for the measurement of plant water status. Plant Soil, 58: 339-366. Go to original source...
    23. Van Heerden P.D.R., Swanepoel J.W., Krüger G.H.J. (2007): Modulation of photosynthesis by drought in two desert scrub species exhibiting C3-mode CO 2 assimilation. Environ. Exp. Bot., 61: 124-136. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content