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Enhanced thermal-tolerance of photosystem II by elevating root zone temperature in Prunus mira Koehne seedlings

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Abstract

Background and aims

In the field, high ambient temperature inevitably leads to high root zone temperature, especially for seedlings. It is reported that maintaining a non-stressful root temperature is beneficial to improving tolerance of shoot to heat stress. However, our recent studies found that 1-year-old seedlings of smooth-pit peach grew poorly at non-stressful root zone temperature under field conditions in summer. To explore the mechanisms underlying the observations, we studied the physiological responses of seedlings of smooth-pit peach (Prunus mira Koehne), a heat-sensitive species, to high ambient temperatures (37 and 42°C) under varying root zone temperatures.

Methods

One-year-old seedlings of smooth-pit peach were divided into two groups subjected to two temperatures: non-stressful root temperature (25 ± 2°C, NRT), and high root zone temperature (HRT). The root and ambient temperatures were controlled by a root zone temperature chamber and light incubator. During this process, the responses of leaf water status (RWC), chlorophyll a fluorescence, activities of antioxidant enzymes, and abscisic acid (ABA) content to high ambient temperature were investigated.

Results

Under the high ambient temperature, seedlings exposed to NRT had higher RWC than those subjected to HRT. Interestingly, high ambient temperature induced more severely damage to the primary photochemistry of photosystem II (PSII) in seedlings under NRT than those under HRT. These results were consistent with the results of activities for antioxidant enzymes. Seedlings exposed to NRT exhibited a significantly lower leaf ABA contents than those exposed to HRT under high ambient temperatures. Further studies demonstrated that, in seedlings treated with NRT, exogenous application of ABA enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes and significantly alleviated the damage to the primary photochemistry of PSII caused by high ambient temperature.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that exposure of smooth-pit peach seedlings to non-stressful root temperature maintained leaf water status under high ambient temperature, but it enhanced the sensitivity of PSII to heat stress. The enhanced accumulation of ABA in leaves of smooth-pit peach seedlings triggered by HRT may contribute to the improvement of the thermo-tolerance of PSII.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

Fo:

The initial Chl fluorescence yield

Fm:

The maximum Chl fluorescence yield

Fv/Fm:

The maximum PSII quantum yield

H2O2 :

The maximum quantum yield of PSII

PAR:

Photosynthetically active radiation

POD:

Peroxidase

PSII:

Photochemistry of photosystem II

HRT:

High root temperature

NRT:

Non-stressful root temperature

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

RWC:

Relative water content

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (30871455), the Knowledge Innovation Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-EW-B-5 & 9) and Chongqin Key project (CSCT 2006AB7043).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China

    Hai-Ping Hao, Chuang-Dao Jiang, Shou-Ren Zhang, Yu-Dan Tang & Lei Shi

  2. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Hai-Ping Hao

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  1. Hai-Ping Hao
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  2. Chuang-Dao Jiang
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  3. Shou-Ren Zhang
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  4. Yu-Dan Tang
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Correspondence to Chuang-Dao Jiang or Lei Shi.

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Hao, HP., Jiang, CD., Zhang, SR. et al. Enhanced thermal-tolerance of photosystem II by elevating root zone temperature in Prunus mira Koehne seedlings. Plant Soil 353, 367–378 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-1037-y

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