Pedosphere 16(3): 326--332, 2006
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2006 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Effect of soil drought stress on leaf water status, membrane permeability and enzymatic antioxidant system of maize |
BAI Li-Ping1 , SUI Fang-Gong2, GE Ti-Da2, SUN Zhao-Hui2, LU Yin-Yan2 and ZHOU Guang-Sheng1 |
1 Laboratory of Quantitative Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093 (China). E-mail: bailiping2000@sina.com
2 Laiyang Agricultural College, Laiyang, Shandong 265200 (China) |
| ABSTRACT |
| A simulation experiment on the responses of maize (Zea mays L.) from the third leaf stage to maturity for different soil water levels (well-watered, moderately stressed, and severely stressed) was conducted by controlling irrigation and using a mobile rain shelter in a neutral loam, meadow soil to determine the effects on leaf water status, membrane permeability and enzymatic antioxidant system for different growth stages. The results indicated that drought stress relied on drought intensity and duration, with more severe drought stress creating more serious effects on maize. Compared with well-watered conditions, during the silking and blister stages moderate stress did not significantly change the relative water content (RWC) and did change significantly the relative conductivity (RC) (P < 0.05) of the leaves; however, severe stress did significantly decrease (P < 0.01) the leaf RWC and increase (P < 0.01) membrane permeability (leaf relative conductivity). Furthermore, under severe drought stress antioxidant enzyme activities declined significantly (P < 0.01) in later stages, namely for superoxide dismutase (SOD) the tasseling and blister stages, for peroxidase (POD) the milk stage, and for catalase (CAT) during the tasseling, blister, and milk stages. Meanwhile, membrane lipid peroxidation (measured as malondialdehyde content) significantly increased (P < 0.01) in all stages. |
| Key Words: drought stress, enzymatic antioxidant system, leaf water status, maize, membrane permeability |
| Citation: Bai, L. P., Sui, F. G., Ge, T. D., Sun, Z. H., Lu, Y. Y. and Zhou, G. S. 2006. Effect of soil drought stress on leaf water status, membrane permeability and enzymatic antioxidant system of maize. Pedosphere. 16(3): 326-332. |
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