Biochemical and physiological responses of sugarcane cultivars to soil water deficiencies

For sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) crops, the effects of an environmental stress, especially water deficiency, may cause severe productivity reduction, inferring negatively in the sugarcane industry. The tolerance of two sugarcane cultivars to a lack of water was made by analyzing the levels of the osmoprotectors, trehalose and free proline, and the biometrical variables of their initial growth. Biochemical and physiological responses of the cultivars, when subjected to water stress, were assayed to determine how these plants tolerate drought. The study was conducted in an acclimatized greenhouse (29.7 ± 4.3ºC and 75.0 ± 10.1% relative humidity) during 100 days and was divided into random blocks using a factorial 2 × 3 × 2 design (sugarcane cultivars × water availability × time periods) with four replicates. Forty days after germination, sugarcane was planted in pots (12 dm³) containing topsoil material taken from a medium textured Rhodic Ferralsol, submitted to three levels of water availability (WAS): 55% (control), 40% (moderate stress) and 25% (severe stress), for 60 days. The effect of the WAS on the accumulation of trehalose and free proline was detected in both cultivars, although it was found to be more distinctive for the cv. IAC91-5155. Trehalose and free proline are biochemical and physiological indicators of water deficiency. The cv. IAC91-5155 had altered growth and allocation of biomass when subjected to severe water stress conditions. The univariate and the multivariate analysis of the biochemical and physiological responses, presented by the IAC91-5155 cultivar, indicate relative tolerance to drought conditions.

Biochemical and physiological responses of sugarcane cultivars to soil water deficiencies

For sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) crops, the effects of an environmental stress, especially water deficiency, may cause severe productivity reduction, inferring negatively in the sugarcane industry. The tolerance of two sugarcane cultivars to a lack of water was made by analyzing the levels of the osmoprotectors, trehalose and free proline, and the biometrical variables of their initial growth. Biochemical and physiological responses of the cultivars, when subjected to water stress, were assayed to determine how these plants tolerate drought. The study was conducted in an acclimatized greenhouse (29.7 ± 4.3ºC and 75.0 ± 10.1% relative humidity) during 100 days and was divided into random blocks using a factorial 2 × 3 × 2 design (sugarcane cultivars × water availability × time periods) with four replicates. Forty days after germination, sugarcane was planted in pots (12 dm³) containing topsoil material taken from a medium textured Rhodic Ferralsol, submitted to three levels of water availability (WAS): 55% (control), 40% (moderate stress) and 25% (severe stress), for 60 days. The effect of the WAS on the accumulation of trehalose and free proline was detected in both cultivars, although it was found to be more distinctive for the cv. IAC91-5155. Trehalose and free proline are biochemical and physiological indicators of water deficiency. The cv. IAC91-5155 had altered growth and allocation of biomass when subjected to severe water stress conditions. The univariate and the multivariate analysis of the biochemical and physiological responses, presented by the IAC91-5155 cultivar, indicate relative tolerance to drought conditions.

Simultaneous effect of water deficiency and aluminum toxicity in the soil in cultivar IAC91-5155 of sugarcane / Efeito simultâneo da deficiência hídrica e do alumínio tóxico no solo na cultivar IAC91-5155 de cana-de-açúcar

Sugarcane is a very important economic crop in Brazil. The effects of abiotic stresses cause negative reduction of the productivity in the sugarcane industry. In order to identify indicators of stresses tolerance, two physiological variables were evaluated, nitrate reductase activity and chlorophyll contents in young plants of sugarcane, cv. IAC91-5155. The simultaneous effect of abiotic stresses of high occurrence in Brazilian soils are, water deficiency and aluminum toxicity. The plants were submitted to three treatments of water availability (% field capacity, FC): no stress (70% FC), moderate stress (55% FC), and extreme stress (40% FC); and three acidity treatments in the soil (base saturation, V%): no acidity (V=55%), average acidity (V=33%), and high acidity (V=23%). The experiment was carried out in greenhouse, with 29.7±4.3ºC and 75±10% RH. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in 3×3 factorial arrangement, with four replicates. After 60 days, nitrate reductase activity and chlorophyll contents were evaluated in the diagnostic leaf. The results demonstrate that the response of plants to a combination of drought and aluminum toxicity, similar to the conditions in many natural environments, is different from the response of plants to each of these stresses applied individually, as typically tested in the laboratory. The nitrate reductase activity can be used

Na cana-de-açúcar, cultura de grande importância econômica no Brasil, os efeitos dos estresses abióticos causam acentuada redução da produtividade inferindo negativamente na agroindústria canavieira. Em busca de encontrar parâmetros que atuem como indicadores fisiológicos da aclimatação das plantas aos efeitos da combinação de estresses, o presente trabalho avaliou a atividade da redutase do nitrato e os teores de clorofilas em plantas jovens de cana-de-açúcar, cv. IAC91-5155, sob efeito simultâneo de dois estresses abióticos de grande ocorrência nos solos brasileiros: deficiência hídrica e alumínio tóxico. Para tanto, as plantas foram submetidas a três tratamentos de disponibilidade hídrica (% de capacidade de campo, CC): sem estresse (70% CC), estresse moderado (55% CC) e estresse severo (40% CC) e três tratamentos de acidez no solo (saturação por bases, V%): baixa acidez (V=55%), média acidez (V=33%) e alta acidez (V=23%). O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação 29,7±4,3oC e 75±10 UR%. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 3×3, com quatro repetições. Após 60 dias sob ambos os estresses, foi verificada a atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato e os teores de clorofilas na folha diagnóstico. Os resultados mostram que, a atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato é indicadora apenas do efeito do estresse hídrico. Os teores de

Simultaneous effect of water deficiency and aluminum toxicity in the soil in cultivar IAC91-5155 of sugarcane / Efeito simultâneo da deficiência hídrica e do alumínio tóxico no solo na cultivar IAC91-5155 de cana-de-açúcar

Sugarcane is a very important economic crop in Brazil. The effects of abiotic stresses cause negative reduction of the productivity in the sugarcane industry. In order to identify indicators of stresses tolerance, two physiological variables were evaluated, nitrate reductase activity and chlorophyll contents in young plants of sugarcane, cv. IAC91-5155. The simultaneous effect of abiotic stresses of high occurrence in Brazilian soils are, water deficiency and aluminum toxicity. The plants were submitted to three treatments of water availability (% field capacity, FC): no stress (70% FC), moderate stress (55% FC), and extreme stress (40% FC); and three acidity treatments in the soil (base saturation, V%): no acidity (V=55%), average acidity (V=33%), and high acidity (V=23%). The experiment was carried out in greenhouse, with 29.7±4.3ºC and 75±10% RH. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in 3×3 factorial arrangement, with four replicates. After 60 days, nitrate reductase activity and chlorophyll contents were evaluated in the diagnostic leaf. The results demonstrate that the response of plants to a combination of drought and aluminum toxicity, similar to the conditions in many natural environments, is different from the response of plants to each of these stresses applied individually, as typically tested in the laboratory. The nitrate reductase activity can be used

Na cana-de-açúcar, cultura de grande importância econômica no Brasil, os efeitos dos estresses abióticos causam acentuada redução da produtividade inferindo negativamente na agroindústria canavieira. Em busca de encontrar parâmetros que atuem como indicadores fisiológicos da aclimatação das plantas aos efeitos da combinação de estresses, o presente trabalho avaliou a atividade da redutase do nitrato e os teores de clorofilas em plantas jovens de cana-de-açúcar, cv. IAC91-5155, sob efeito simultâneo de dois estresses abióticos de grande ocorrência nos solos brasileiros: deficiência hídrica e alumínio tóxico. Para tanto, as plantas foram submetidas a três tratamentos de disponibilidade hídrica (% de capacidade de campo, CC): sem estresse (70% CC), estresse moderado (55% CC) e estresse severo (40% CC) e três tratamentos de acidez no solo (saturação por bases, V%): baixa acidez (V=55%), média acidez (V=33%) e alta acidez (V=23%). O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação 29,7±4,3oC e 75±10 UR%. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 3×3, com quatro repetições. Após 60 dias sob ambos os estresses, foi verificada a atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato e os teores de clorofilas na folha diagnóstico. Os resultados mostram que, a atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato é indicadora apenas do efeito do estresse hídrico. Os teores de

Nitrate reductase enzyme activity and free proline contents in sugarcane roots under water and acid stress in soil / Atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato e teores de prolina livre em raízes de cana-de-açúcar sob os estresses hídrico e ácido no solo

The aim of this work was evaluate the physiological indicators of association between water deficiency and soil acidity, by determining the nitrate reductase activity, the levels of free proline and initial growth of the root system of seedlings of sugarcane cv. IAC91-5155. After 30 days, the seedlings were transferred to plastic pots with 12 dm3 of dystrophic alic Red Latosol (Oxisol) and submitted to association of three treatments of water availability: no stress (70%), moderate stress (55%) and severe stress (40%), in according with field capacity and three acidity treatments: no stress (55%), moderate stress (33%) and severe stress (23%), considering the base saturation. The experimental design was that of random blocks under factorial scheme of 3x3, with four replicates. After 60 days under the stress association, the levels of free proline, the nitrate reductase activity and the growth of the sugarcane roots system were evaluated in seedlings of sugarcane. The nitrate reductase enzyme activity can be considered a physiological indicator of the effect of the association of acid and water stress in moderate conditions in soil, while the free proline can be considered physiological indicator to both stress in severe conditions. Water deficiency increasing reduced growth of sugarcane roots.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar indicadores fisiológicos da associação entre deficiência hídrica e acidez do solo, por meio da determinação da atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato, dos teores de prolina livre e do crescimento inicial do sistema radicular de plantas jovens da cultivar IAC91-5155 de cana-de-açúcar. Aos 30 dias, as mudas, originadas da brotação de uma gema, foram transferidas para vasos de plástico de 12 dm3 contendo Latossolo Vermelho distrófico álico e submetidas à associação de três tratamentos de disponibilidade hídrica: sem estresse (70%), estresse moderado (55%) e estresse severo (40%), de acordo com a capacidade de campo, e três níveis de acidez no solo: sem estresse (55%), estresse moderado (33%) e estresse severo (23%), considerando-se o índice de saturação por bases. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 3x3, com quatro repetições. Aos 60 dias sob associação dos estresses foram determinados a atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato, os teores de prolina livre e o crescimento inicial do sistema radicular de plantas jovens de cana-de-açúcar. A atividade da enzima redutase do nitrato é indicadora fisiológica do efeito da associação do estresse hídrico e da acidez em condições moderadas no solo, enquanto, a prolina livre é indicadora desses estresses em condições severas. A intensificação da deficiênci