Abstract
We have examined the biochemical responses of two sorghum cultivars of differing drought tolerance, Samsorg 17 (more drought tolerant) and Samsorg 40 (less drought tolerant), to sustained drought. Plants were exposed to different degrees of drought and then maintained at that level for five days. Responses were examined in terms of metabolic changes and the expression of drought induced proteins—Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) and dehydrins (DHNs). Generalised phenotypic changes were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy and non-targeted Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to detect changes in metabolites, while changes in protein expression were examined using Western blot analysis. Different response profiles of metabolites, HSPs and DHNs were observed in the two cultivars. Metabolic changes involved variation in amino acids, polysaccharides and their derivatives. A total of 188 compounds, with 142 known metabolites and 46 unknown small molecules, were detected in the two sorghum varieties. Under water deficit conditions, Samsorg 17 accumulated sugars and sugar alcohols, while in Samsorg 40 amino acids increased in concentration. This study suggest that the two Sorghum varieties adopt distinct approaches in response to drought, with Samsorg 17 being better able to maintain leaf function under severe drought conditions.
Highlights
Drought is one of the major limitations on food production especially in developing countries in Africa and Asia [1]
Further drought resulted in a tendency for changes in principal components (PCs)-DF2 to reverse in Samsorg 40, but less so in Samsorg 17, with further changes being described by PC-DF1
Examination of the PC-DF loadings indicated that changes in carbohydrates, amides and lipids all contributed to both PC-DF1 and 2 suggesting that these are affected by drought (Fig 2B)
Summary
Drought is one of the major limitations on food production especially in developing countries in Africa and Asia [1]. There is a growing need to produce crops that can survive extreme environmental conditions such as drought in order to maximise crop production. Detrimental effects of water deficiency can be seen in the roots, shoots and leaves of green plants at morphological, physiological and biochemical levels. The emphasis will be on the plant’s biochemical responses to drought, in terms of its metabolism and quantification of selected proteins.
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