Physiological, Biochemical, and Agronomic Trait Responses of Nigella sativa Genotypes to Water Stress

Pedram Bayati,Giulia Abate,Mariachiara Pucci,Jamshid Razmjoo,Andrea Mastinu,Hassan Karimmojeni,Timothy C Baldwin

doi:10.3390/horticulturae8030193

Pedram Bayati, Giulia Abate + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8030193

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Abstract

Water stress may affect the growth, physiology, morphology, biochemistry, and productivity of Nigella sativa (black cumin), a medicinal and aromatic plant. Measuring these parameters under various irrigation regimes could provide useful information for successful genotype selection and breeding. Therefore, these agronomically significant features were evaluated in ten black cumin genotypes (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, India, Arak, Isfahan, Semirom, Shahreza, Shahrekord, and Mashhad) under three irrigation regimes (40% (I1), 60% (I2), and 80% (I3) of permissible moisture discharge) during the 2017 to 2018 growing seasons. Water stress was shown to increase the levels of carotenoids (Cars), proline, total soluble carbohydrates (TSC), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities but reduced the relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll content. The highest increases in Cars, TSC, proline, CAT, and APX were noted in the Arak, Isfahan, Semirom, Shahreza, Shahrekord, and Mashhad genotypes under the I3 water regime, respectively. At the same time, the lowest decrease was observed in chlorophyll, H2O2, and relative water content (RWC) in Semirom. According to the stress susceptibility index, the most resistant genotypes were Shahrekord under I2 and Semirom under I3. These data demonstrate that the irrigation regimes affected the physiological, biochemical, and morphological features of black cumin both qualitatively and quantitatively, although the impact varied depending upon the genotype, irrigation regime, and traits. As such, the results presented represent valuable information with which to inform future selection and breeding programs for drought-tolerant black cumin. This is of particular significance considering global climate change.

Highlights

Drought is widely acknowledged as one of the most limiting abiotic stresses affecting global agricultural productivity [1–6]
Compare the means of the physiological, morphological, the data for the two years were combined with the different irrigation regimes (I × Y), and and b was1). used to perform component analysis (PCA) a no differences were observed
Graphics was usedresults to compose graphicalfor representations o irrigation regime × genotype wereStat evaluated, significant were observed all the measured traits except for the ratio of Chl-a and Chl-b concentrations (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Drought is widely acknowledged as one of the most limiting abiotic stresses affecting global agricultural productivity [1–6]. Insufficient and variable distribution of rainfall, population increase, and agricultural mismanagement have all contributed to water shortages, which have harmed the growth and development of crop species [2,7–12]. The effect of drought stress on plants is influenced by the level of drought and its duration, environmental factors, such as salt and heat stress, the genotype of the plant, and the plants’ life cycle [13–16]. The adverse effects of drought can be mitigated by implementing a variety of innovative management strategies. Some aromatic and medicinal plant species develop secondary metabolites with significant economic value [4]. Zali and Ehsanzadeh found that drought stress increased the production of Horticulturae 2022, 8, 193.

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