Physiological Indicators of Tolerance to Soil Water Deficit in Lolium multiflorum/Festuca arundinacea Introgression Forms

Abstract

Festuca arundinacea is a model plant species for a group of forage grasses, comprising the Lolium-Festuca complex to recognize the crucial mechanisms of tolerance to water deficit and recovery after stress cessation. The L. multiflorum/F. arundinacea introgression forms are excellent plant materials for dissecting these important traits into several components. Here, four genotypes of the introgression forms with a different capacity in response to abiotic and biotic stresses, were analyzed with respect to their physiological performance under water deficit conditions and further recovery. It was revealed that the Relative Water Content and Electrolyte Leakage parameters could be good indicators of tolerance to soil water deficit and ability to recover after stress cessation in the L. multiflorum/F. arundinacea introgression forms.