Protective enzyme activity and physiological properties of four mulberry varieties affected by drought stress in the Panxi Region of Sichuan Province, China

In order to identify the effects of drought stress on protective enzyme activity and physiological properties, four mulberry varieties, i.e.,＇Nanye- 1＇, ＇Yunsang- 1＇, ＇Xinyizhilai＇ and ＇Husang-32＇ in the Panxi Region of Sichuan Province, China, were selected. The activity of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, peroxidase （POD） and catalase （CAT） in four mulberry varieties was determined. Soluble protein, soluble sugar, proline, net photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate of mulberry leaves were analyzed. The results show that during the early stages of drought stress, protective enzyme activities in four mulberry varieties continually increased. However, prolonged and intensified drought stress decreased their activities. After re-watering, they gradually returned to normal levels. Under drought stress and after re-watering, ＇Nanye-l＇ and ＇Yunsang-l＇ clearly showed smaller changes in soluble protein content than the ＇Xinyizhilai＇ and ＇Husang-32＇ varieties, whereas changes in their soluble sugar content were clearly greater than these last two varieties. When water deficit was protracted and intensified, ＇Nanye-1＇ and ＇Yunsang-1＇ still showed higher net photosynthetic, transpiration rates and water-use efficiency than ＇Xinyizhilai＇ and ＇Husang-32＇.

Effects of Water Stress on the Protective Enzyme Activities and Lipid Peroxidation in Roots and Leaves of Summer Maize

A systematic study was conducted to determine the effects of water stress on the activities of protective enzymes and lipid peroxidation in maize. The results showed that, under water stress, the activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT）, and peroxidase （POD） in leaves and roots increased sharply at prophase and metaphase growth stages, such as, male tetrad stage, but then declined towards the physiological maturity. The protective enzyme activities in roots were lower than those in leaves. The content of malondialdehyde （MDA） increased according to the severity of water stress. The content of MDA in roots was lower than that in leaves. The activities of protective enzymes and lipid peroxidation in roots were positively related to that in leaves with most of the correlation coefficients being significant. The content of soluble proteins in roots and leaves decreased with increasing drought stress. The ear characteristics deteriorated and the economic yields of maize decreased significantly under water stress. The main factors that caused reduction of yields were the decrease in the number of ear kernels and 100-kernel weight.

Effects of Phenolic Acids on Growth and Activities of Membrane Protective Enzymes of Cucumber Seedlings

Two phenolic acids P-hydroxy benzoic acid and cinnamic acid were designated as four concentrations (0, 50 μmol/L, 100 μmol/L, 150 μmol/L) to investigate the effects of phenoic acids on the growth and the activities of membrane protective enzymes of cucumber seedlings. The results showed that both phenolic acids inhibited the seedlings growth. The inhibitory effects were increased with the concentration of phenolic acids increasing and the time of treatment prolonging. Seedlings treated with A150 (P-hydroxy benzoic acid, 150 μmol/L), B50 (cinnamic acid, 50 μmol/L), B100 (cinnamic acid, 100 μmol/L), B150 (cinnamic acid, 150 μmol/L) showed significantly shorter in plant height , smaller in leaf area. and lighter in fresh weight. The inhibitory effect of cinnamic acid was comparatively stronger than that of P-hydroxy benzoic acid. For protective enzymes system, compared to control , the POD activity increased at all concentrations of P-hydroxy benzoic acid during the treatment but increased at first then decreased before increased again at last at all concentrations of cinnamic acid .In the case of CAT, its activity increased at first, then decreased, and increased again at lower concentrations of phenolic acids. However, at higher concentrations the activities decreased at first, then increased a little, decreased continuously at last. In addition, the treatments of phenolic acids led to an increase then a decreaseof SOD activity and an increase of MDA content in the seedlings. All above indicated the accumulating of free radicalsand destruction of protective enzymes at higher concentrations of phenolic acids.

Leaf Senescence Characteristics and Responses to Water Shortage of Different Hybrid Rice Cultivars during Grain Filling Stage

[Objective] The pattern of leaves senescence was studied to provide reference for the planting technology and breeding rice cultivars resistant to premature senescence. [Method] Six hybrid rice cultivars were cultivated under limited and conventional irrigation managements; after the heading of rice, the root activities, nitrogen content in leaves, chlorophyll content （SPAD value）, net photosynthetic rate and the activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, peroxidase （POD）, catalase （CAT） were determined. [Result] The rhythms in attenuation of xylem sap flow rate, leaf nitrogen content, chlorophyll content （SPAD value） and net photosynthetic rate of different rice cultivars were significantly different in attenuation starting time, attenuation frequency and attenuation range. Physiological indexes of different cultivars responded inconsistently to water shortage. Extremely significantly positive correlations were found between the decline rates of chlorophyll content and leaf nitrogen content and xylem sap flow rate of roots, the photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content. The changes in activities of SOD, CAT and POD were different, and responded to water shortage differently in different cultivars. The change dynamic of leaf nitrogen content and chlorophyll content was positively related with the activity dynamic of SOD and CAT. The change dynamic of leaf nitrogen content and chlorophyll content was negatively related with the malondialdehyde （MDA） content. The difference in the attenuation rhythm of physiological indexes of leaves and response to water shortage of different hybrid rice cultivars were related to genotype difference. Increasing roots activities and protecting enzyme activities of leaves benefit to defer attenuation of chlorophyll content and nitrogen content of leaves and to keep stronger photosynthetic function. [Conclusion] The senescence resistance of rice is a combined result of genotype differences and physiological response to environment.