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Exogenous Ca2+ alleviates waterlogging-caused damages to pepper

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Ca2+ has been considered as a necessary ion for alleviation of stress-induced damages in plants. We investigated effects of exogenous Ca2+ on waterlogging-induced damage to pepper and its underlying mechanisms. Pepper seedlings under stress were treated by spraying of 10 mM CaCl2. Applying exogenous Ca2+ increased the biomass of pepper leaves and roots, improved photosynthetic characteristics, membrane permeability, root activity, osmotic substance contents, antioxidant enzyme and alcohol dehydrogenase activities, while it reduced lactate dehydrogenase activity. It maintained hydroxide radical contents and activities of malate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase relatively high. Our results suggested that applying exogenous Ca2+ could regulate osmotic substance contents, antioxidant system activity, root respiration, and metabolism, and subsequently alleviate waterlogging-induced damages to pepper plants.

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Abbreviations

ADH:

alcohol dehydrogenase

CAM:

calmodulin

Car:

carotenoids

CaT:

Ca2+ treatment group

CAT:

catalase

Chl:

chlorophyll

CK:

control

DM:

dry mass

DCPIP:

2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol

E :

transpiration rate

F0 :

minimal fluorescence yield at the dark adapted-state

F 0 :

minimal fluorescence yield at the light-adapted state

Fm :

maximal fluorescence yield at the dark-adapted state

F m :

maximal fluorescence yield at the light-adapted state

FM :

fresh mass

Fv/Fm :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

GR:

glutathione reductase

g s :

stomatal conductance

LDH:

lactate dehydrogenase

MDA:

malondialdehyde

MDH:

malate dehydrogenase

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

POD:

peroxidase

qP:

photochemical quenching coefficient

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SD:

standard deviation

SDH:

succinate dehydrogenase

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

TTC:

triphenyl tetrazolium chloride

TTF:

trityl hydrazone

WL:

waterlogging group

WUE:

water-use efficiency

ФPSII :

effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

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Correspondence to X. X. Zou.

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Acknowledgements: This work was financially supported by China Agriculture Research System (CARS-25-A-8).

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Yang, B.Z., Liu, Z.B., Zhou, S.D. et al. Exogenous Ca2+ alleviates waterlogging-caused damages to pepper. Photosynthetica 54, 620–629 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-016-0200-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-016-0200-3

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