RESPONSE OF ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE SYSTEM TO DROUGHT AND RE-WATERING IN Triticum aestivum L. VARIETIES
Keywords:
Triticum aestivum L., antioxidant defense system, malonedialdehyde, catalase, photosynthetic pigments, drought, re-wateringAbstract
Two local bread wheat varieties (Gobustan, drought tolerant and Tale 38, drought sensitive) cultivated under normal irrigation conditions after drought exposure were rewatered and leaf samples were taken after 3 and 7 day rehydration. Level of malone dialdehyde (MDA), photosynthetic pigments, activity and isoenzyme content of catalase enzyme were determined, plant post-drought recovery performance were studied comparatively in the watered and drought variants. Chlorophyll content was found to increase slightly under drought stress, whereas amounts of carotenoids increased in both variants and after the rehydration returned to the previous level. Catalase enzyme activity increased 1.3 time in Gobustan variety and 1.5 time Tale-38 variety under water
deficiency compared with watered plants. Only one isoform was detected for the catalase enzyme
extracted from wheat leaves. Obtained results suggest that both genotypes can preserve recovery
ability after rewatering, but the processes of recovery are faster in the tolerant genotype compared
with the sensitive one.
