Drought effects on the mineral composition of the leaves of Actinidia species

Abstract

Against the background of global climate change, drought stress has become one of the environmental limiting factors that can significantly influence the growth and development of crop plants. Drought stress conditions also cause changes in plant physiological and metabolic processes. The influence of soil drought on the mineral composition of the leaves of two Actinidia species with С3-type photosynthesis, namely, Actinidia argutа (Siebold & Zucc.) Planch. ex Miq. cultivar ‘Taezhny Dar’ and Actinidia kolomikta (Maxim. & Rupr.) Maxim. cultivar ‘Narodnaya’, was studied through energy dispersive spectrometry. The investigations were carried out during 2020 to 2021 at the Department of Genofonde and Bioresources of Plants, Federal Scientific Center for Horticulture, Moscow. The present research revealed that actinidia leaves contained the following major elements: K (11.19 mass% to 13.84 mass%), Ca (7.83% to 12.08 mass%), Cl (6.20 mass% to 7.33 mass%), and Mg (2.98 mass% to 3.44 mass%). Low values were recorded for Mo (1.19 mass% to 4.49 mass%) and P (0.83 mass% to 1.25 mass%). In both species, the mineral elements K and Ca were present at high levels. A positive correlation was observed between Mg–P, K–Mn, Mn–Se, Cu-Se, P–Si, Na–Mo, and Si–Mn in the leaves of A. argutа and between Cl–Ca, Mo; P–Si, Mo; and K–Ca in the leaves of A. kolomikta. Under stress conditions, the ratios of K/Ca and K/P declined to 0.9 and 6.3, respectively, whereas those of K/Cl, K/Mg, and K/Mo increased to 3.8, 4.4, and 2.7, respectively. The present studies confirmed that actinidia leaves contained high concentrations of minerals, especially K, Ca, P, and Mg, and that the accumulation of mineral elements in actinidia plant leaves under drought conditions varied depending on the species.