Effects of drought-rewatering-drought on photosynthesis and growth of maize

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2015.0345

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Our objective was to investigate the responses of maize photosynthesis and growth to repeated drought.Methods Maize seedlings were exposed to different soil water deficit for three weeks, then rewatering for one week, and again to different water deficit for three weeks, to examine the effects of repeated drought on photosynthesis and growth.Important findings After the first water deficit treatments, under severe drought, plant height, total leaf area of individual plant, shoot and root biomass declined significantly, also transpiration rate (T_r), stomatal conductance (G_s), intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i), net photosynthetic rate (P_n), maximum net photosynthetic rate (A_max), but light compensation point and dark respiration rate increased significantly. Under medium drought, plant height, leaf area, and shoot biomass decreased significantly, but root biomass did not vary, hence, the ratio of roots to shoots (R/S) increased. Moreover, plants did not show significant differences in photosynthetic parameters. After rewatering, photosynthesis and growth rate of plants previously exposed to water deficit could recover to the levels of well-watered plants, but plant height and leaf area did not recover to the levels of the control. When maize were subjected to recurrent drought, plants pre-exposed to medium drought showed no significant difference in plant height, biomass, and photosynthetic parameters, but a significant decrease in leaf area, compared to plants only exposed to second medium drought. Plants pre-exposed to severe drought had significantly higher T_r, G_s, C_i, P_n, A_max, and, apparent quantum yield but significantly lower plant height, leaf area, and biomass than plants without previous exposure. These results indicated that the first severe drought significantly reduced photosynthetic capacity and maize growth, rewatering could recover photosynthesis and growth rate to the levels of well-watered plants, but could not eliminate the adverse influence of the first drought on growth. The first medium drought could stimulate the growth of maize root system and significantly increased R/S, which can enhance maize drought resistance to subsequent repeated drought, and maintain the total biomass in the control level; the first severe drought could enhance maize drought resistance to subsequent repeated drought in the aspect of photosynthesis, but could not compensate for the adverse effect of early drought on plant growth. Hence, in practice, drought hardening should be limited in the level of medium drought, and avoiding severe drought.

Key words: repeated drought, rewatering, growth, photosynthetic rate, Zea mays

Wen-Sai ZHAO, Yong-Lin SUN, Xi-Ping LIU. Effects of drought-rewatering-drought on photosynthesis and growth of maize[J]. Chin J Plan Ecolo, 2016, 40(6): 594-603.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2015.0345

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2016/V40/I6/594

Figures/Tables 9

References 32

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处理 Treatment	土壤含水量 (田间持水量的%) Soil water content (field water capacity %)
处理 Treatment	第一次水分处理(3周) First water treatments (3 weeks)	复水(1周) Rewatering (1 week)	第二次水分处理(3周) Second water treatments (3 weeks)
持续正常水分 Continually well-watered	70	70	70
单一后期中度干旱 Single late medium drought	70		50
单一后期重度干旱 Single late severe drought	70		35
单一早期中度干旱 Single early medium drought	50		70
两次中度水分亏缺 Double medium drought	50		50
单一早期重度干旱 Single early severe drought	35		70
两次重度干旱 Double severe drought	35		35

处理 Treatment	土壤含水量 (田间持水量的%) Soil water content (field water capacity %)
处理 Treatment	第一次水分处理(3周) First water treatments (3 weeks)	复水(1周) Rewatering (1 week)	第二次水分处理(3周) Second water treatments (3 weeks)
持续正常水分 Continually well-watered	70	70	70
单一后期中度干旱 Single late medium drought	70		50
单一后期重度干旱 Single late severe drought	70		35
单一早期中度干旱 Single early medium drought	50		70
两次中度水分亏缺 Double medium drought	50		50
单一早期重度干旱 Single early severe drought	35		70
两次重度干旱 Double severe drought	35		35

处理 Treatment	最大净光合速率 A_max (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	光补偿点 LCP (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	光饱和点 LSP (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	暗呼吸速率 R_d (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	表观量子效率 AQY (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)
第一次水分处理 First water treatment
70%	41.39 ± 0.88^b	53.97 ± 15.17^a	892.50 ± 74.93^a	2.58 ± 0.20^a	0.050 ± 0.002^ab
50%	41.01 ± 3.54^b	50.87 ± 6.60^a	832.98 ± 65.23^a	2.48 ± 0.68^a	0.051 ± 0.005^b
35%	33.43 ± 3.57^a	95.09 ± 8.79^b	906.90 ± 66.14^a	3.92 ± 0.17^b	0.044 ± 0.002^a
复水 Rewatering
70%-70%	37.79 ± 4.55^a	52.95 ± 7.99^a	770.05 ± 95.33^a	2.30 ± 0.41^a	0.047 ± 0.002^a
50%-70%	39.82 ± 4.64^a	53.96 ± 3.16^a	859.91 ± 104.84^a	1.88 ± 0.38^a	0.045 ± 0.003^a
35%-70%	37.88 ± 5.05^a	46.89 ± 1.32^a	796.46 ± 97.11^a	1.99 ± 0.33^a	0.046 ± 0.004^a
第二次水分处理 Second water treatments
70%-70%-70%	39.95 ± 2.03^c	57.46 ± 13.82^ab	893.05 ± 75.07^ab	2.78 ± 0.84^a	0.050 ± 0.003^c
70%-70%-50%	35.11 ± 2.31^b	61.78 ± 13.99^ab	780.32 ± 37.03^a	2.87 ± 0.99^a	0.048 ± 0.005^bc
70%-70%-35%	26.00 ± 0.95^a	76.51 ± 14.81^b	752.90 ± 105.37^a	2.63 ± 0.32^a	0.035 ± 0.004^a
50%-70%-70%	39.64 ± 2.31^c	77.17 ± 13.24^b	972.55 ± 118.34^b	3.50 ± 0.63^a	0.048 ± 0.003^bc
50%-70%-50%	37.56 ± 1.68^bc	71.32 ± 11.07^ab	815.10 ± 50.04^ab	3.43 ± 0.65^a	0.049 ± 0.001^bc
35%-70%-70%	40.05 ± 0.76^c	57.89 ± 0.31^ab	901.57 ± 40.73^ab	2.36 ± 0.36^a	0.043 ± 0.006^b
35%-70%-35%	36.65 ± 2.94^bc	52.57 ± 8.62^a	789.16 ± 143.48^a	2.75 ± 0.32^a	0.051 ± 0.004^c

处理 Treatment	最大净光合速率 A_max (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	光补偿点 LCP (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	光饱和点 LSP (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	暗呼吸速率 R_d (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)	表观量子效率 AQY (μmol·m^-2·s^-1)
第一次水分处理 First water treatment
70%	41.39 ± 0.88^b	53.97 ± 15.17^a	892.50 ± 74.93^a	2.58 ± 0.20^a	0.050 ± 0.002^ab
50%	41.01 ± 3.54^b	50.87 ± 6.60^a	832.98 ± 65.23^a	2.48 ± 0.68^a	0.051 ± 0.005^b
35%	33.43 ± 3.57^a	95.09 ± 8.79^b	906.90 ± 66.14^a	3.92 ± 0.17^b	0.044 ± 0.002^a
复水 Rewatering
70%-70%	37.79 ± 4.55^a	52.95 ± 7.99^a	770.05 ± 95.33^a	2.30 ± 0.41^a	0.047 ± 0.002^a
50%-70%	39.82 ± 4.64^a	53.96 ± 3.16^a	859.91 ± 104.84^a	1.88 ± 0.38^a	0.045 ± 0.003^a
35%-70%	37.88 ± 5.05^a	46.89 ± 1.32^a	796.46 ± 97.11^a	1.99 ± 0.33^a	0.046 ± 0.004^a
第二次水分处理 Second water treatments
70%-70%-70%	39.95 ± 2.03^c	57.46 ± 13.82^ab	893.05 ± 75.07^ab	2.78 ± 0.84^a	0.050 ± 0.003^c
70%-70%-50%	35.11 ± 2.31^b	61.78 ± 13.99^ab	780.32 ± 37.03^a	2.87 ± 0.99^a	0.048 ± 0.005^bc
70%-70%-35%	26.00 ± 0.95^a	76.51 ± 14.81^b	752.90 ± 105.37^a	2.63 ± 0.32^a	0.035 ± 0.004^a
50%-70%-70%	39.64 ± 2.31^c	77.17 ± 13.24^b	972.55 ± 118.34^b	3.50 ± 0.63^a	0.048 ± 0.003^bc
50%-70%-50%	37.56 ± 1.68^bc	71.32 ± 11.07^ab	815.10 ± 50.04^ab	3.43 ± 0.65^a	0.049 ± 0.001^bc
35%-70%-70%	40.05 ± 0.76^c	57.89 ± 0.31^ab	901.57 ± 40.73^ab	2.36 ± 0.36^a	0.043 ± 0.006^b
35%-70%-35%	36.65 ± 2.94^bc	52.57 ± 8.62^a	789.16 ± 143.48^a	2.75 ± 0.32^a	0.051 ± 0.004^c

处理 Treatment	叶生物量 Leaf biomass (g)	茎生物量 Stem biomass (g)	地上生物量 shoot biomass (g)	根生物量 Root biomass (g)	总生物量 Total biomass (g)	根冠比 R/S
第一次水分处理 First water treatment
70%			253.34 ± 16.50^c	111.20 ± 12.52^b	364.54 ± 18.99^c	0.44 ± 0.06^a
50%			209.77 ± 14.07^b	123.49 ± 10.74^b	333.26 ± 19.27^b	0.59 ± 0.06^b
35%			90.82 ± 10.60^a	64.54 ± 7.86^a	155.36 ± 11.55^a	0.72 ± 0.12^c
复水 Rewatering
70%-70%	177.17 ± 25.79^c	174.85 ± 24.40^b	352.02 ± 29.21^c	152.59 ± 12.50^b	504.61 ± 30.64^b	0.44 ± 0.05^a
50%-70%	153.38 ± 15.13^ab	151.99 ± 18.66^b	305.37 ± 29.01^b	166.48 ± 37.16^b	471.85 ± 54.59^b	0.55 ± 0.11^b
35%-70%	129.60 ± 17.12^a	107.87 ± 19.35^a	237.47 ± 35.37^a	118.29 ± 19.39^a	355.76 ± 53.00^a	0.50 ± 0.04^ab
第二次水分处理 Second water treatment
70%-70%-70%	142.95 ± 11.65^c	203.18 ± 15.34^e	507.35 ± 27.30^d	197.00 ± 32.49^cd	704.35 ± 54.61^d	0.39 ± 0.05^ab
70%-70%-50%	142.20 ± 18.01^c	181.23 ± 15.60^de	489.61 ± 40.08^cd	198.33 ± 51.18^cd	687.94 ± 77.92^cd	0.40 ± 0.10a^bc
70%-70%-35%	118.22 ± 14.38^b	150.15 ± 15.31^bc	411.69 ± 18.36^b	145.00 ± 24.81^ab	556.69 ± 36.71^b	0.35 ± 0.06^a
50%-70%-70%	133.64 ± 19.17^bc	153.49 ± 32.45^bc	451.88 ± 60.75^bc	216.67 ± 31.94^d	668.55 ± 92.09^cd	0.48 ± 0.02^c
50%-70%-50%	135.52 ± 12.93^bc	172.16 ± 13.04^cd	481.55 ± 26.55^cd	224.00 ± 47.68^d	705.55 ± 70.53^d	0.46 ± 0.08^bc
35%-70%-70%	121.74 ± 11.67^bc	132.39 ± 26.05^b	439.08 ± 65.20^bc	167.00 ± 30.48^bc	606.08 ± 91.72^bc	0.38 ± 0.04^ab
35%-70%-35%	82.87 ± 32.27^a	97.20 ± 18.51^a	291.04 ± 43.45^a	118.00 ± 30.98^a	409.04 ± 70.32^a	0.40 ± 0.07^abc