Abstract
Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is a perennial deciduous shrub with ornamental and medicinal value. Waterlogging stress is an agricultural problem for peony in Jiangnan of China. This study investigated the growth, biomass, cell membrane permeability and antioxidant enzymes of two P. suffruticosa cultivars ‘Feng Dan Bai (FDB)’ and ‘MingXing (MX)’. The response of roots and upper ground to different levels of waterlogging stress in two peony cultivars was also evaluated. Results showed that mild waterlogging stress (MWS) and severe waterlogging stress (SWS) significantly decreased the increment of seedling height, diameter and biomass of leaves. The root biomass increased in FDB but no significant changes in MX. Moreover, cell membrane permeability of leaves and roots also increased, while the chlorophyll content of leaves decreased. Antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) of leaves and roots all increased, along with a gradual increase in malondialdehyde (MDA). Of this two cultivars, the root system of FDB is more susceptible to waterlogging than the upper ground, and the root system can improve the resistance to waterlogging by increasing the root system biomass, Peony adapted to the waterlogging environment by changing its external form. Key words: Peony, waterlogging stress, growth, antioxidant systems, malondialdehyde (MDA) content.
Highlights
Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is a perennial deciduous shrub of excellent ornamental and medicinal value
The increment of height, ground diameter and upper ground biomass was decreased as the increasing waterlogging stress, but the increment of roots biomass increased in Feng Dan Bai (FDB) and has no significant difference in MX
The increases in height, diameter, upper ground biomass under waterlogging stress were lower than the control of two cultivars, but the roots biomass were higher than control in FDB
Summary
Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is a perennial deciduous shrub of excellent ornamental and medicinal value. Understanding the characteristics of waterlogging tolerance in peony is important in terms of selecting cultivars suitable for growth in Jiangnan regions of China. Little is known about how waterlogging affect growth, morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics in Jiangnan of China and wetland areas. The purposes of this research were the following: (1) assessment of the damage of waterlogging in tolerant and sensitive peony used in the region in different degree of waterlogging separately; (2) evaluation of quantitative traits such as roots and upper ground parts growth and other physiological characteristics; and (3) study of stress tolerance indexes in peony varieties, clarifying the mechanisms of waterlogging tolerance in peony.
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