Improving the effects of drought priming against post-anthesis drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using nitrogen

Water and nitrogen (N) deficiencies are the major limitations to crop production, particularly when they occur simultaneously. By supporting metabolism, even when tissue water capacity is lower, nitrogen and priming may reduce drought pressure on plants. Therefore, the current study investigates the...

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Main Authors: Attiq Ullah, Zhongwei Tian, Libing Xu, Muhammad Abid, Kangqi Lei, Anab Khanzada, Muhammad Zeeshan, Chuanjiao Sun, Jinhong Yu, Tingbo Dai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.965996/full
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author Attiq Ullah
Zhongwei Tian
Libing Xu
Muhammad Abid
Kangqi Lei
Anab Khanzada
Muhammad Zeeshan
Chuanjiao Sun
Jinhong Yu
Tingbo Dai
author_facet Attiq Ullah
Zhongwei Tian
Libing Xu
Muhammad Abid
Kangqi Lei
Anab Khanzada
Muhammad Zeeshan
Chuanjiao Sun
Jinhong Yu
Tingbo Dai
author_sort Attiq Ullah
collection DOAJ
description Water and nitrogen (N) deficiencies are the major limitations to crop production, particularly when they occur simultaneously. By supporting metabolism, even when tissue water capacity is lower, nitrogen and priming may reduce drought pressure on plants. Therefore, the current study investigates the impact of nitrogen and priming on wheat to minimize post-anthesis drought stress. Plant morphology, physiology, and biochemical changes were observed before, during, and after stress at the post-anthesis stage. The plants were exposed to three water levels, i.e., well watering (WW), water deficit (WD), and priming at jointing and water deficit (PJWD) at the post-anthesis stage, and two different nitrogen levels, i.e., N180 (N1) and N300 (N2). Nitrogen was applied in three splits, namely, sowing, jointing, and booting stages. The results showed that the photosynthesis of plants with N1 was significantly reduced under drought stress. Moreover, drought stress affected chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence and water-related parameters (osmotic potential, leaf water potential, and relative water content), grain filling duration (GFD), and grain yield. In contrast, PJWD couple with high nitrogen treatment (N300 kg ha–1) induced the antioxidant activity of peroxidase (37.5%), superoxide dismutase (29.64%), and catalase (65.66%) in flag leaves, whereas the levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anion radical (O2–) declined by 58.56 and 66.64%, respectively. However, during the drought period, the primed plants under high nitrogen treatment (N300 kg ha–1) maintained higher Chl content, leaf water potential, and lowered lipid peroxidation (61%) (related to higher activities of ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase). Plants under high nitrogen treatment (N300 kg ha–1) showed deferred senescence, improved GFD, and grain yield. Consequently, the research showed that high nitrogen dose (N300 kg ha–1) played a synergistic role in enhancing the drought tolerance effects of priming under post-anthesis drought stress in wheat.
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spelling doaj.art-754b9d548a33423587436910f50d1d0d2022-12-22T02:34:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2022-08-011310.3389/fpls.2022.965996965996Improving the effects of drought priming against post-anthesis drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using nitrogenAttiq Ullah0Zhongwei Tian1Libing Xu2Muhammad Abid3Kangqi Lei4Anab Khanzada5Muhammad Zeeshan6Chuanjiao Sun7Jinhong Yu8Tingbo Dai9Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaDepartment of Soil Conservation, Narowal, PakistanKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Agricultural College of Guangxi University, Nanning, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, ChinaWater and nitrogen (N) deficiencies are the major limitations to crop production, particularly when they occur simultaneously. By supporting metabolism, even when tissue water capacity is lower, nitrogen and priming may reduce drought pressure on plants. Therefore, the current study investigates the impact of nitrogen and priming on wheat to minimize post-anthesis drought stress. Plant morphology, physiology, and biochemical changes were observed before, during, and after stress at the post-anthesis stage. The plants were exposed to three water levels, i.e., well watering (WW), water deficit (WD), and priming at jointing and water deficit (PJWD) at the post-anthesis stage, and two different nitrogen levels, i.e., N180 (N1) and N300 (N2). Nitrogen was applied in three splits, namely, sowing, jointing, and booting stages. The results showed that the photosynthesis of plants with N1 was significantly reduced under drought stress. Moreover, drought stress affected chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence and water-related parameters (osmotic potential, leaf water potential, and relative water content), grain filling duration (GFD), and grain yield. In contrast, PJWD couple with high nitrogen treatment (N300 kg ha–1) induced the antioxidant activity of peroxidase (37.5%), superoxide dismutase (29.64%), and catalase (65.66%) in flag leaves, whereas the levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anion radical (O2–) declined by 58.56 and 66.64%, respectively. However, during the drought period, the primed plants under high nitrogen treatment (N300 kg ha–1) maintained higher Chl content, leaf water potential, and lowered lipid peroxidation (61%) (related to higher activities of ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase). Plants under high nitrogen treatment (N300 kg ha–1) showed deferred senescence, improved GFD, and grain yield. Consequently, the research showed that high nitrogen dose (N300 kg ha–1) played a synergistic role in enhancing the drought tolerance effects of priming under post-anthesis drought stress in wheat.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.965996/fulldrought primingantioxidantabiotic stressphotosynthesiswheat
spellingShingle Attiq Ullah
Zhongwei Tian
Libing Xu
Muhammad Abid
Kangqi Lei
Anab Khanzada
Muhammad Zeeshan
Chuanjiao Sun
Jinhong Yu
Tingbo Dai
Improving the effects of drought priming against post-anthesis drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using nitrogen
Frontiers in Plant Science
drought priming
antioxidant
abiotic stress
photosynthesis
wheat
title Improving the effects of drought priming against post-anthesis drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using nitrogen
title_full Improving the effects of drought priming against post-anthesis drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using nitrogen
title_fullStr Improving the effects of drought priming against post-anthesis drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using nitrogen
title_full_unstemmed Improving the effects of drought priming against post-anthesis drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using nitrogen
title_short Improving the effects of drought priming against post-anthesis drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using nitrogen
title_sort improving the effects of drought priming against post anthesis drought stress in wheat triticum aestivum l using nitrogen
topic drought priming
antioxidant
abiotic stress
photosynthesis
wheat
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.965996/full
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