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Alteration in physio-chemical properties and gene expression pattern of snapmelon (Cucumis melo var. momordica) genotypes against drought stress

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2024

Waquar Akhter Ansari
Affiliation:
ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, UP, India
Ram Krishna
Affiliation:
ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, UP, India
Punam Singh Yadav
Affiliation:
ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, UP, India
Tribhuvan Chaubey
Affiliation:
ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, UP, India
Tusar Kanti Behera
Affiliation:
ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, UP, India
Kangila Venkataraman Bhat
Affiliation:
ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (Pusa Campus), New Delhi, India
Sudhakar Pandey*
Affiliation:
ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, UP, India
*
Corresponding author: Sudhakar Pandey; Email: sudhakariivr@gmail.com
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Abstract

Lack of water at limiting levels results in drought stress, which may have an impact on the various stages of a crop's life cycle. Four different genotypes of snapmelon (Cucumis melo L. var. momordica) responded differently to 0, 7 and 21 d of simulated drought stress. Information was collected on a range of morpho-physiological, biochemical and molecular characteristics. Each genotype had longer roots, though BAM-VR-312 had the longest roots overall. As the severity of the drought grew, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (Gs) dropped. In BAM-VR-312, a smaller decline in relative water content (RWC) was recorded, despite the fact that drought stress caused a significant fall in RWC. BAM-VR-312 had smaller accumulations of electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide, phenol and malondialdehyde, although proline content was greater. A decrease in photosynthetic pigments was noted, though BAM-VR-312 had the least reduction. Antioxidant enzyme activity increased in BAM-VR-312, as evidenced by records of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase. Similarly, expression level of their respective genes was recorded highest in BAM-VR-312. Overall, the study clearly identified distinct genotype based on morpho-physiological, biochemical and molecular properties under drought stress and revealed that the genotype BAM-VR-312 had more efficient drought tolerance mechanisms than the other genotypes under the drought stress condition.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Figure 0

Table 1. Effect of drought stress on different growth parameters

Figure 1

Table 2. Effect of drought stress on different growth parameters

Figure 2

Figure 1. Effect of increasing drought stress on (A) relative water content; (B) electrolyte leakage; (C) Fv/Fm; (D) net photosynthetic rate; (E) transpiration; (F) stomatal conductance. The data are mean of three replicates ±SE. Those followed by different letters within similar drought stress treatment are significantly different according to Duncan's multiple-range test at P > 0.05.

Figure 3

Figure 2. Effect of increasing drought stress on (A) proline; (B) hydrogen peroxide; (C) MDA content; (D) phenol; (E) total chlorophyll; (F) carotenoid. The data are mean of three replicates ±SE. Those followed by different letters within similar drought stress treatment are significantly different according to Duncan's multiple-range test at P > 0.05.

Figure 4

Figure 3. Effect of increasing drought stress on activities of key antioxidants in snapmelon leaves. (A) Superoxide dismutase (SOD); (B) catalase (CAT); (C) ascorbate peroxidase (APX); (D) guaiacol peroxidase (POD); (E) glutathione reductase (GR).The data are mean of three replicates ±SE. Those followed by different letters within similar drought stress treatment are significantly different according to Duncan's multiple-range test at P > 0.05.

Figure 5

Figure 4. Effect of increasing drought stress on relative expression of antioxidants enzyme genes snapmelon leaves. (A) superoxide dismutase (SOD); (B) catalase (CAT); (C) ascorbate peroxidase (APX); (D) guaiacol peroxidase (POD); (E) glutathione reductase (GR).The data are mean of three replicates ±SE. Those followed by different letters within similar drought stress treatment are significantly different according to Duncan's multiple-range test at P > 0.05.

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