Tribenuron-methyl treatment affects glutathione metabolization and other physiological processes in bread wheat

Abstract

To maximize crop yield, farmers use a wide array of herbicides. These chemicals have different mechanisms of action such as inhibition of photosynthesis and synthesis of aminoacids, lipids, and carotenoids in plant organs. The action of herbicides is often accompanied by the release of ROS (reactive oxygen species) in cells, and under their effect, modification of physiological processes occur in non-target plant organs, leading to the reduction of crop yields. To overcome stress conditions, plants react through the production of specific metabolites in their cell organelles, synthesizing detoxifying metabolites, among which glutathione (γ-glutamylcisteinylglycine, GSH) and its derivates are the most important. The detoxifying ability of crops varies between species and even between cultivars. Glutathione plays a major role in the detoxification pathways, and its quantity indicates the plant’s capability to metabolize herbicide. In wheat cultivation, the tribenuron-methyl herbicide is widely used. A study on short-term effect of tribenuron-methyl different concentrations (0.5 M, 1 M, 1.5 M) in three wheat cultivars (Pobjeda, Adelajde, and Dajti) and two ancestors Aegilops (accessions Ardenica and Borshi), by evaluating the GSH and pigment content was conducted in 2018 in Albania. A difference in both component content between the control and treated plants was observed. Among the cultivars assessed, Dajti showed the best ability to tolerate herbicide-induced stress. Knowledge on the plants’ reaction under herbicide treatments contributes to the identification of tolerance trait, selection of the right treatment formulation, and development of more effective herbicide safeners.