Abstract
Effects of water stress at different plant ages on SOD activities were studied in two tomato cultivars. Water stress treatment decreased the leaf water potential in all stages, but reduction of leaf water potential was more rapid and pronounced in KF than TM at all DSLs (days of seedlings). After withdrawal of water stress treatment, stressed plants of TM increased leaf water potential to the values of control level in all DSLs, but in KF, leaf water potential of stressed plants were much lower than that of control plants. Effects of water stress on relative water content (RWC) of leaves at 20 DSL showed a similar tendency to that on leaf water potential. The SOD activities in both cultivars showed significant increase by water stress treatment at all DSLs, but the increase of SOD by water stress was larger in TM than in KF. This tendency was observed at all DSLs. The results may indicate that SOD activities play an important role in drought tolerance of tomato at various plant ages and suggest a possible use of SOD activities as a criterion for tomato drought tolerance.
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