Arruje Hameed1, Tahir Farooq2, Amjad Hameed3, Munir Ahmad Sheikh4. 1. Department of Biochemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: arrujetahirfsd@gmail.com. 2. Department of Applied Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan. 3. Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Jhang Road Faisalabad, Pakistan. 4. Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
Abstract
AIM: Water-deficit stress is the most devastating environmental factor that adversely affects plant growth causing yield losses and low crop productivity. In this study, we employed sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a seed priming agent for the acclimation of water-deficit stress in wheat plants by invoking priming memory. METHODS: The SNP-primed (75, 100, and 125 μM) and non-primed controls were allowed to grow in pots under water deficit and normal conditions. The flag leaves of 98-days mature plants were used for biochemical and physiological studies by following the well-established methods. RESULTS: The antioxidant and hydrolytic enzymes were upregulated while reducing sugars, total sugars, and glycine betaine increased significantly in flag leaves of wheat plants originated from SNP-treated seeds compared to control under water deficit stress. However, a significant reduction in MDA and proline contents represented a lesser ROS production which resulted in enhanced cell membrane stability. Consequently, there was a significant enhancement in yield, plant biomass and 100 grains weight of wheat plants under water deficit stress. CONCLUSION: The improvement in yield parameters indicates the induction of priming memory in SNP-primed seeds which elicit water deficit tolerance till the maturity of plants thus ensures sustainable productivity of wheat.
AIM: Water-deficit stress is the most devastating environmental factor that adversely affects plant growth causing yield losses and low crop productivity. In this study, we employed sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a seed priming agent for the acclimation of water-deficit stress in wheat plants by invoking priming memory. METHODS: The SNP-primed (75, 100, and 125 μM) and non-primed controls were allowed to grow in pots under water deficit and normal conditions. The flag leaves of 98-days mature plants were used for biochemical and physiological studies by following the well-established methods. RESULTS: The antioxidant and hydrolytic enzymes were upregulated while reducing sugars, total sugars, and glycine betaine increased significantly in flag leaves of wheat plants originated from SNP-treated seeds compared to control under water deficit stress. However, a significant reduction in MDA and proline contents represented a lesser ROS production which resulted in enhanced cell membrane stability. Consequently, there was a significant enhancement in yield, plant biomass and 100 grains weight of wheat plants under water deficit stress. CONCLUSION: The improvement in yield parameters indicates the induction of priming memory in SNP-primed seeds which elicit water deficit tolerance till the maturity of plants thus ensures sustainable productivity of wheat.
Authors: Tauqeer Ahmad Yasir; Ayesha Khan; Milan Skalicky; Allah Wasaya; Muhammad Ishaq Asif Rehmani; Naeem Sarwar; Khuram Mubeen; Mudassir Aziz; Mohamed M Hassan; Fahmy A S Hassan; Muhammad Aamir Iqbal; Marian Brestic; Mohammad Sohidul Islam; Subhan Danish; Ayman El Sabagh Journal: Molecules Date: 2021-04-28 Impact factor: 4.411