Abstract
Drought affects plant growth and yield in many agricultural areas worldwide by producing negative water potentials in the root zone that reduce water availability, affecting plant development and metabolism. This study investigated the effect of varying moisture regimes (100% field capacity (FC), well-watered plants, 50% FC (moderate water stress), and 25% FC (severe water stress)) on growth parameters, chlorophyll content, and bioactive molecule patterns, and the impact on antioxidant, lipoxygenase (LOX), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in Rosa damascena. The water deficit treatments reduced biomass production for both treatments (−29 and −33%, respectively, for MWS and SWS) and total chlorophyll (−18 and −38% respectively for MWS and SWS), relative to the control. The 50% FC treatment had the greatest effect on the phenolic profiles and their respective functionalities, with significant increases in the levels of total phenolic, benzoic (gallic, p-coumaric, and syringic acids) (+32%), and cinnamic (caffeic and trans-cinnamic acid) acids (+19%) and flavonoids (epicatechin-3-O-gallate) (+15%) compared to well-watered leaves (control leaves). The 50% FC treatment also exhibited the highest potential antioxidant activities (apart from NO-quenching activity), evidenced by the lowest IC50 and EC50 values. The inhibitory LOX and AChE capacities varied depending on the severity of stress, with superior activity in the 50% FC treatment. Overall, the drought tolerance in rose was associated mainly with its suitable manipulation of antioxidant production and orderly regulation of LOX and AChE activities.
Highlights
The severity and incidence of drought are expected to increase with the predicted change in typical precipitation patterns associated with climate change [1]
Both water deficit treatments decreased traduced to IC50 values [20]
An integrated approach combining biochemical and physiological studies revealed new insights into the mechanisms and processes involved in Rosa damascena drought adaptation
Summary
The severity and incidence of drought are expected to increase with the predicted change in typical precipitation patterns associated with climate change [1]. Water deficits are anticipated to reduce world crop production by up to 30% by 2025 compared to current yields [2]. In arid and semi-arid zones, the potential of water resources to expand landscapes and grow ornamental plants is threatened. Water distribution to the floral industry is in strong competition with other demands, such as agriculture, urban management, and human consumption [3], and should be used optimally and with high efficiency [4]. Plants shift to a water-saving strategy that decreases intracellular CO2 , reducing
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