Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon [<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad] and Commercial Interspecific Cucurbita Hybrid to Drought Stress
This study aimed to assess the morphological and physio-biochemical responses of a commercial watermelon (<i>Citrullus lanatus</i> (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai) cv. ‘Crimson Sweet’ grafted onto a drought-tolerant rootstock of wild watermelon (bitter apple, <i>Citrullus colocynthis<...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/10/359 |
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| author | Mahdi Bikdeloo Giuseppe Colla Youssef Rouphael Mohammad Reza Hassandokht Forouzandeh Soltani Reza Salehi Pradeep Kumar Mariateresa Cardarelli |
| author_facet | Mahdi Bikdeloo Giuseppe Colla Youssef Rouphael Mohammad Reza Hassandokht Forouzandeh Soltani Reza Salehi Pradeep Kumar Mariateresa Cardarelli |
| author_sort | Mahdi Bikdeloo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aimed to assess the morphological and physio-biochemical responses of a commercial watermelon (<i>Citrullus lanatus</i> (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai) cv. ‘Crimson Sweet’ grafted onto a drought-tolerant rootstock of wild watermelon (bitter apple, <i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad, ‘Esfahan’) in comparison with an ungrafted ‘Crimson Sweet’ watermelon or one grafted onto a commercial interspecific <i>Cucurbita</i> hybrid (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duch. × <i>Cucurbita moschata</i> Duch.) rootstock (‘Shintoza’) under water stress. The experiment was conducted in pots under a controlled environment in a greenhouse, and water stress was imposed by maintaining moisture level in pots at 100% (well water (WW)) or 50% (water deficit (WD)) of container capacity (CC). WD significantly decreased most of the morphological traits in ungrafted and grafted plants, while the decrease in growth traits was lower in grafted plants than ungrafted plants. The response of grafted plants onto wild watermelon rootstock (‘Esfahan’) for most of the affected parameters (shoot fresh and dry weight, vine length and internodal length) was, however, comparable to those grafted onto commercial <i>Cucurbita</i> hybrid rootstock (‘Shintoza’). Plants grafted onto bitter apple (wild watermelon) exhibited a relatively lower decrease in growth and biomass, besides showing higher antioxidant activity (e.g., guaiacol peroxidase) concomitant with the lower accumulation of malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage in the leaf tissues in comparison with ungrafted plants. The overall growth performance, as well as those under water stress conditions in commercial rootstock-grafted watermelon, was related to its better plant water status (e.g., high relative water content) which was likely ascertained by its greater root efficiency. This suggests that watermelons grafted onto bitter apple rootstock and <i>Cucurbita</i> hybrid rootstock were constitutively more resistant to drought, with higher efficiency in mitigating oxidative stress than ungrafted treatment. The above findings demonstrated that bitter apple, a well-adapted desert species, can be used as an alternative rootstock to commercial rootstocks (e.g., ‘Shintoza’) for watermelon grafting under water stress conditions. In addition, bitter apple rootstock can be involved in rootstock breeding programs to improve drought tolerance in watermelon. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:31:36Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:31:36Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
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| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj.art-3914c67058c8418aa82ef8221c824bc12023-11-22T18:27:03ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242021-10-0171035910.3390/horticulturae7100359Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon [<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad] and Commercial Interspecific Cucurbita Hybrid to Drought StressMahdi Bikdeloo0Giuseppe Colla1Youssef Rouphael2Mohammad Reza Hassandokht3Forouzandeh Soltani4Reza Salehi5Pradeep Kumar6Mariateresa Cardarelli7Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak 38481-77584, IranDepartment of Agriculture and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyDepartment of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj 31587-77871, IranDepartment of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj 31587-77871, IranDepartment of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj 31587-77871, IranDivision of Integrated Farming System, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur 342003, IndiaConsiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’analisi Dell’economia Agraria, Centro di ricerca Orticoltura e Florovivaismo, 84098 Pontecagnano Faiano, ItalyThis study aimed to assess the morphological and physio-biochemical responses of a commercial watermelon (<i>Citrullus lanatus</i> (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai) cv. ‘Crimson Sweet’ grafted onto a drought-tolerant rootstock of wild watermelon (bitter apple, <i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad, ‘Esfahan’) in comparison with an ungrafted ‘Crimson Sweet’ watermelon or one grafted onto a commercial interspecific <i>Cucurbita</i> hybrid (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duch. × <i>Cucurbita moschata</i> Duch.) rootstock (‘Shintoza’) under water stress. The experiment was conducted in pots under a controlled environment in a greenhouse, and water stress was imposed by maintaining moisture level in pots at 100% (well water (WW)) or 50% (water deficit (WD)) of container capacity (CC). WD significantly decreased most of the morphological traits in ungrafted and grafted plants, while the decrease in growth traits was lower in grafted plants than ungrafted plants. The response of grafted plants onto wild watermelon rootstock (‘Esfahan’) for most of the affected parameters (shoot fresh and dry weight, vine length and internodal length) was, however, comparable to those grafted onto commercial <i>Cucurbita</i> hybrid rootstock (‘Shintoza’). Plants grafted onto bitter apple (wild watermelon) exhibited a relatively lower decrease in growth and biomass, besides showing higher antioxidant activity (e.g., guaiacol peroxidase) concomitant with the lower accumulation of malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage in the leaf tissues in comparison with ungrafted plants. The overall growth performance, as well as those under water stress conditions in commercial rootstock-grafted watermelon, was related to its better plant water status (e.g., high relative water content) which was likely ascertained by its greater root efficiency. This suggests that watermelons grafted onto bitter apple rootstock and <i>Cucurbita</i> hybrid rootstock were constitutively more resistant to drought, with higher efficiency in mitigating oxidative stress than ungrafted treatment. The above findings demonstrated that bitter apple, a well-adapted desert species, can be used as an alternative rootstock to commercial rootstocks (e.g., ‘Shintoza’) for watermelon grafting under water stress conditions. In addition, bitter apple rootstock can be involved in rootstock breeding programs to improve drought tolerance in watermelon.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/10/359<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i>rootstocksgraftingdrought toleranceMDAantioxidant enzymes |
| spellingShingle | Mahdi Bikdeloo Giuseppe Colla Youssef Rouphael Mohammad Reza Hassandokht Forouzandeh Soltani Reza Salehi Pradeep Kumar Mariateresa Cardarelli Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon [<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad] and Commercial Interspecific Cucurbita Hybrid to Drought Stress Horticulturae <i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> rootstocks grafting drought tolerance MDA antioxidant enzymes |
| title | Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon [<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad] and Commercial Interspecific Cucurbita Hybrid to Drought Stress |
| title_full | Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon [<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad] and Commercial Interspecific Cucurbita Hybrid to Drought Stress |
| title_fullStr | Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon [<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad] and Commercial Interspecific Cucurbita Hybrid to Drought Stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon [<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad] and Commercial Interspecific Cucurbita Hybrid to Drought Stress |
| title_short | Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon [<i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> (L.) Schrad] and Commercial Interspecific Cucurbita Hybrid to Drought Stress |
| title_sort | morphological and physio biochemical responses of watermelon grafted onto rootstocks of wild watermelon i citrullus colocynthis i l schrad and commercial interspecific cucurbita hybrid to drought stress |
| topic | <i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> rootstocks grafting drought tolerance MDA antioxidant enzymes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/10/359 |
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