Abstract
Development of the modern horticulture is impossible without studying the adaptive capabilities of crops cultivars and hybrids. Drought is one of the major factors, which negatively influence on plants growth and development in summer period. This stress factor results in disruption of the photosynthetic apparatus, changing the electron flux, which facilitates the accumulation of free radicals. Activation of plant defense systems can suppress the development of oxidative stress. In this research, the physiological and biochemical characteristics of leaves under drought stress of different cultivars of pear, plum and cherry growing in the Krasnodar region during summer period were studied. It was found that in the driest month — august, the majority of cultivars were in the oxidative stress state, which resulted in an increase of the malondialdehyde content. The greatest adaptive potential to drought was noted in the pear cultivars Williams and Flamenco, as well as among the cherry cultivars there were Volshebnitsa and Sashenka. The better drought resistance characteristics among plum cultivars were detected in the control cultivar Stenley According to the obtained data, it was found that the decrease of chlorophylls content in leaves correlated with the increase of the carotenoid and malondialdehyde contents.
Highlights
Modern horticulture faces many challenges, caused by rapidly increasing impact of biotic and abiotic stress factors
The better drought resistance characteristics among plum cultivars were detected in the control cultivar Stenley According to the obtained data, it was found that the decrease of chlorophylls content in leaves correlated with the increase of the carotenoid and malondialdehyde contents
Analysis of leaf relative water content, exposed to the artificial drought stress summer months showed no significant differences were noticed between the each fruit crop
Summary
Modern horticulture faces many challenges, caused by rapidly increasing impact of biotic and abiotic stress factors. In the south one of the main abiotic stress factors is drought, which slows down growth and development of fruit crops, as well as their productivity. In the conditions of the Krasnodar region, researchers have noted a change in the temperature regime towards an increase in abnormally high positive temperatures since the middle of the 20th century In this connection, the selection of fruit cultivars, taking into account their resistance to drought and high temperatures, is a important and promising direction in breeding resistance cultivars and hybrids. Drought tolerance allows the plant to negate low water content in the tissue, regulating osmotic pressure and activating the antioxidant defense system. If the drought continues for a long period, other adaptation mechanisms will take part in the defensive measures against stress, providing the accumulation of protective proteins and low molecular weight osmolytes, the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes, and the increase of genes expression for drought tolerance [2, 3]
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