Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) genotypes under drought and non-drought conditions

The African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) is a nutrient-dense, climate-resilient indigenous vegetable with a C4 carbon fixation pathway. Understanding African spider plant drought tolerance mechanisms is essential for improving its performance in water-stressed areas. The objective...

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Main Authors: Tinashe Chatara, Cousin Musvosvi, Aristide Carlos Houdegbe, Samson Zeray Tesfay, Julia Sibiya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1197462/full
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author Tinashe Chatara
Cousin Musvosvi
Aristide Carlos Houdegbe
Aristide Carlos Houdegbe
Samson Zeray Tesfay
Julia Sibiya
author_facet Tinashe Chatara
Cousin Musvosvi
Aristide Carlos Houdegbe
Aristide Carlos Houdegbe
Samson Zeray Tesfay
Julia Sibiya
author_sort Tinashe Chatara
collection DOAJ
description The African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) is a nutrient-dense, climate-resilient indigenous vegetable with a C4 carbon fixation pathway. Understanding African spider plant drought tolerance mechanisms is essential for improving its performance in water-stressed areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stress tolerance potential of African spider plant accessions based on thirteen morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits under three different water treatment regimes. Eighteen accessions were evaluated over two growing seasons in the greenhouse using a split-split plot design with four replications and three water treatment-regimes namely optimum (100% field capacity), intermediate drought (50% field capacity) and, severe drought (30% field capacity). The results revealed that water regime had a significant effect (P< 0.01) on the accessions for the traits studied. A significant reduction across most of the studied traits was observed under drought conditions. However, proline content in all the accessions significantly rose under drought conditions. The principal component analysis revealed a considerable difference in the performance of the 18 African spider plant accessions under optimum and drought stress conditions. Several morphological and physiological parameters, including days to 50% flowering (r = 0.80), leaf length (r = 0.72), net photosynthesis (r = 0.76) and number of leaves per plant (r = 0.79), were positively associated with leaf yield under drought conditions. Cluster analysis categorized the 18 accessions and 13 measured parameters into 4 clusters, with cluster-1 exhibiting greater drought tolerance for most of the studied traits, and cluster-4 having the most drought-sensitive accessions. Among the accessions tested, accessions L3 and L5 demonstrated excellent drought tolerance and yield performance under both conditions. As a result, these accessions were selected as candidates for African spider plant drought tolerance breeding programs. These findings will serve as the foundation for future studies and will aid in improving food and nutrition security in the face of drought.
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spelling doaj.art-9a8aaac258504170a4051a532b8c08732023-08-18T04:30:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2023-08-011410.3389/fpls.2023.11974621197462Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) genotypes under drought and non-drought conditionsTinashe Chatara0Cousin Musvosvi1Aristide Carlos Houdegbe2Aristide Carlos Houdegbe3Samson Zeray Tesfay4Julia Sibiya5School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South AfricaSchool of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, ZimbabweSchool of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South AfricaGenetics, Biotechnology and Seed Science Unit (GBioS), Laboratory of Crop Production, Physiology and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, BeninSchool of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South AfricaSchool of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South AfricaThe African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) is a nutrient-dense, climate-resilient indigenous vegetable with a C4 carbon fixation pathway. Understanding African spider plant drought tolerance mechanisms is essential for improving its performance in water-stressed areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stress tolerance potential of African spider plant accessions based on thirteen morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits under three different water treatment regimes. Eighteen accessions were evaluated over two growing seasons in the greenhouse using a split-split plot design with four replications and three water treatment-regimes namely optimum (100% field capacity), intermediate drought (50% field capacity) and, severe drought (30% field capacity). The results revealed that water regime had a significant effect (P< 0.01) on the accessions for the traits studied. A significant reduction across most of the studied traits was observed under drought conditions. However, proline content in all the accessions significantly rose under drought conditions. The principal component analysis revealed a considerable difference in the performance of the 18 African spider plant accessions under optimum and drought stress conditions. Several morphological and physiological parameters, including days to 50% flowering (r = 0.80), leaf length (r = 0.72), net photosynthesis (r = 0.76) and number of leaves per plant (r = 0.79), were positively associated with leaf yield under drought conditions. Cluster analysis categorized the 18 accessions and 13 measured parameters into 4 clusters, with cluster-1 exhibiting greater drought tolerance for most of the studied traits, and cluster-4 having the most drought-sensitive accessions. Among the accessions tested, accessions L3 and L5 demonstrated excellent drought tolerance and yield performance under both conditions. As a result, these accessions were selected as candidates for African spider plant drought tolerance breeding programs. These findings will serve as the foundation for future studies and will aid in improving food and nutrition security in the face of drought.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1197462/fulldrought tolerancewater regimeAfrican spider plantphenotypingproline
spellingShingle Tinashe Chatara
Cousin Musvosvi
Aristide Carlos Houdegbe
Aristide Carlos Houdegbe
Samson Zeray Tesfay
Julia Sibiya
Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) genotypes under drought and non-drought conditions
Frontiers in Plant Science
drought tolerance
water regime
African spider plant
phenotyping
proline
title Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) genotypes under drought and non-drought conditions
title_full Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) genotypes under drought and non-drought conditions
title_fullStr Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) genotypes under drought and non-drought conditions
title_full_unstemmed Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) genotypes under drought and non-drought conditions
title_short Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra (L.) Briq.) genotypes under drought and non-drought conditions
title_sort morpho physiological and biochemical characterization of african spider plant gynandropsis gynandra l briq genotypes under drought and non drought conditions
topic drought tolerance
water regime
African spider plant
phenotyping
proline
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1197462/full
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