EFFECT OF CHILLING STRESS ON THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PERFORMANCE OF YOUNG PLANTS FROM TWO MAIZE (ZEA MAYS) HYBRIDS

Rositsa Cholakova-Bimbalova; Andon Vassilev

doi:10.12955/cbup.v5.1081

Rositsa Cholakova-Bimbalova Agricultural University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Andon Vassilev Agricultural University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12955/cbup.v5.1081

Keywords: Zea mays, chilling, photosynthesis, pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence

Abstract

: In the climate conditions of Bulgaria, early stages of maize plants development often go under suboptimal temperatures. Chilling stress is known to cause different physiological disturbances in young maize plants during the transition period from heterotrophic to autotrophic nutrition. However, the effect of chilling may differ among maize hybrids. Photosynthetic performance could be a good indicator for the hybrid tolerance to chilling. The aim of our study was to evaluate the tolerance of young maize plants from two hybrids – the new Bulgarian hybrid - Kneza 307 and the hybrid P9528 using as criteria the changes in their photosynthetic performance.

Plants at the third leaf stage were exposed for seven days to chilling stress. At the end of the experimental period, growth, leaf lipid peroxidation, and several photosynthetic parameters were measured. We found that chilling stress reduced the fresh mass accumulation, increased lipid peroxidation, diminished net photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content, and enhanced non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence. Although the responses of both hybrids were similar, some specificity were observed and discussed.

References

Al-Shoaibi, A.A. (2008). Photosynthetic response to the low temperature in Elephant Grass (Peninsetum purpureum) and Zea mays., International journal of Botany, 4 (3), 309-314.

Aroca, R., Irigoyen, J.J., & Sánchez-Díaz, M. (2001). Photosynthetic characteristics and protective mechanisms against oxidative stress during chilling and subsequent recovery in two maize varieties differing in chilling sensitivity. Plant Sci 161: 719–726.

Aroca, R., Irigoyen, J.J., & Sánchez-Díaz, M. (2003). Drought enhances maize chilling tolerance. II. Photosynthetic traitsand protective mechanisms against oxidative stress. Pysiologia Plantarum 117: 540–549.

Bano, S., Aslam, M., Saleem, M., Basra, S.M.A., & Aziz, K. (2015). Evaluation of maize accessions under low temperature stress at early growth stages. J. Anim. Plant Sci. 25:392-400.

Bilska, A., & Sowiński, P. (2010). Closure of plasmodesmata in maize (Zea mays) at low temperature: a new mechanism for inhibition of photosynthesis. Ann. Bot. Nov; 106(5): 675–686.

Bolhar-Nordenkampf, H.R., & Oquist, G. (1993). Chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool in photosynthesis research. In: Photosynthesi and production in a changing environment: a field and laboratory manual (Eds. D. O. Hall, J. M. O. Scurlock, h. R. Bolnar-Nordenkampf, R. C. Leegood, S. P. Long). Chapman and Hall, London, 193-205.

Cholakova-Bimbalova, R., & Vassilev, A. (2015). Influence of low temperatures on the growth and macronutrient content in young maize plants. Scientific Works of Agricultural University – Plovdiv, vol. LIX, book 2, 87 – 94.

Farooq, M., Aziz, T., Basra, S.M.A., Cheema, M.A., & Rehamn, H. (2008). Chilling tolerance in hybrid maize induced by seed priming with salicylic acid. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 194: 161-. 168.

Foyer, C.H., Vanacker, H., Gomez, L.D., Harbinson, J. (2002). Regulation of photosynthesis and antioxidant metabolism in maize leaves at optimal and chilling temperatures: review. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 40: 659–668.

Genty, B., Briantais, J.M., & Baker, N.R. (1989). The relationship between the quantum yield of photosynthetic electron transport and quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence. Biochim Biophys Acta 990:87–92.

Haldimann, P. (1998). Low growth temperature-induced changes to pigment composition and photosynthesis in Zea mays genotypes differing in chilling sensitivity. Plant, Cell and Environment, 21, 200–208.

Haldimann, P. (1999). How do changes in temperature during growth affect leaf pigment composition and photosynthesis in Zea mays genotypes differing in sensitivity to low temperature? Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 50, No. 333, pp. 543–550.

Heath, R.L., & Packer, L. (1968). Photoperoxidation in isolated chloroplasts. I. Kinetics and stoichiometry of fatty acid peroxidation, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 125, 189– 198.

Hola D, Kocova M, Rothova O, Wilhelmova N, Benesova M. 2007. Recovery of maize (Zea mays L.) inbreds and hybrids from chilling stress of various duration: photosynthesis and antioxidant enzymes. Journal of Plant Physiology 164, 868–877.

Kosová, K., Haisel, D., Tichá, I. (2005). Photosynthetic performance of two maize genotypesas affected by chilling stress

Leipner, J., & Stamp, P. (2009). Chilling stress in maize seedlings. In: Bennetzen, J.L., Hake, S.C. (eds) Handbook of Maize: Its Biology, pp. 291-310. Springer, Heidelberg.

Lichtenthaler, H.K. (1987). Chlorophylls and carotenoids: pigments of photosynthetic biomembrans. Methods enzymol., 148, 350-382.

Melkonian, J., Long-Xi, Y., & Setter T.L. (2004). Chilling responses of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings root hydraulic conductance, abscisic acid, and stomatal conductance Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 55, No. 403, pp. 1751–1760, August 2004.

Miedema, P. (1982). The effects of low temperature on Zea mays L. Advances in Agronomy 35: 93-129.

Moseki, M. (2004). Characterisation of low temperature stress effects on photosynthetic performance of maize cultivars using chlorophyll fluorescence., South African Journal of Botany Volume 70, Issue 5, December 2004, Pages 730-733.

Nie, G.Y., Long, S.P., & Baker, N.R. (1992). The effects of development at sub-optimal growth temperatures on photosynthetic capacity and susceptibility to chilling-dependent photoinhibition in Zea mays. Physiol Plant 85: 554-560.

Nie, G.Y., Robertson, E.J., Fryer, M.J., Leech, R.M., & Baker, N.R. (1995). Response of the photosynthetic apparatus in maize leaves grown at low temperature on transfer to normal growth temperature. Plant, Cell and Environment 18, 1–12.

Plant Soil Environ., 51, 2005 (5): 206–212.

Schreiber, U. (2004). Pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry and saturation pulse method: an overview. Papageorgiou, G. C. (ed). In Chlorophyll a fluorescence: a signature of photosynthesis Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic. pp. 279-319.

Sowinski, P., Rudzinska-Langwald, A., Adamczyk, J., Kubica, I., & Fronk, J. (2005). Recovery of maize seedlings growth, developmentand photosynthetic efficiency after initial growth at low temperature. J Plant Physiol., 162:67–80.

Stamp, P. (1984). Chilling tolerance of young plants demonstrated on the example of maize (Zea mays L.), J. Agron. Crop Sci. 7 1–83.

Takáč, T. (2004). The relationship of antioxidant enzymesand some physiological parameters in maize during chilling Plant Soil Environ., 50, (1): 27–32

Zaidi, P.H., Yadav, M., Maniselvan, P., Khan, R., Shadakshari, T.V., Singh, R.P., & Pal, D. (2010). Morpho-physiological traits associated with cold stress tolerance in tropical maize (Zea mays L.). Maydica. 55: 201-208.