Unravelling the combined impacts of drought and Cu in barley plants - double trouble?

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024

Authors

Martins, M (Author) Other; Oliveira, L (Author) Other; Sousa, B (Author) Other; Valente, IM (Author) Other; Rodrigues, JA (Author) FCUP; Manuel Azenha (Author) FCUP; Soares, C (Author) Other; Pereira, R (Author) Other; Fidalgo, F (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry

Vol. 209

ISSN: 0981-9428

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-010-4YP

DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108546

Abstract (EN): The occurrence of drought in soils, particularly in those contaminated by metals, poses a current threat to crops, as these factors can interact and induce unique stress responses. Therefore, this study mainly focused on understanding the crosstalk between drought and copper (Cu) stress in the physiology of the barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plant. Using a bifactorial experimental design, seedlings were grown in a natural soil under the following treatments: plants continuously irrigated in uncontaminated soil for 14 days (control); plants continuously irrigated in Cu-contaminated soil (115 mg Cu kg-1) for 14 days (Cu); plants only irrigated during the initials 7 days of growth in uncontaminated soil (drought); plants co-exposed to Cu and drought (combined). After 14 days of growth, the results revealed that drought prevented Cu bioaccumulation in barley roots, which were still severely affected by the metal, both individually and in combination with the water deficit. Furthermore, individual and combined exposure to these stressors resulted in impaired photosynthetic performance in barley plants. Despite the increased activation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defence mechanisms, particularly in the green organs, the plants co-exposed to both stress factors still showed higher oxidative damage, severely impacting biomass production.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 13