Journal Article

PreJuSER-14443

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Do plants remember drought? Hints towards a drought-memory in grasses

Walter, J. ; Nagy, L. ; Hein, R. ; Rascher, U.FZJ* ; Beierkuhnlein, C. ; Willner, E. ; Jentsch, A.FZJ*

2011
Elsevier Science Amsterdam [u.a.]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2010.10.020

Abstract: The frequency of extreme drought events is projected to increase under global climate change, causing damage to plants and crop yield despite potential acclimation. We investigated whether grasses remain acclimated to drought even after a harvest and remember early summer drought exposure over a whole vegetation period. For this, we compared the response of Arrhenatherum elatius plants under a second, late, drought (they were pre-exposed to an early drought before), to plants exposed to a single, only late, extreme drought. Surprisingly, the percentage of living biomass after a late drought increased for plants that were exposed to drought earlier in the growing season compared to single-stressed plants, even after harvest and resprouting after the first drought. Relative leaf water content did not differ between the two treatments. Net photosynthesis was non-significantly reduced by 25% in recurrent drought treatment. Maximum quantum efficiency (F-v/F-m)and maximum fluorescence (F-m) were reduced in plants that were exposed to recurrent drought. These findings indicated improved photoprotection in double-stressed plants. Our results provide first hints towards a "drought memory" over an entire vegetation period, even after harvest and resprouting. However, the advantage of improved photoprotection might also cause reductions in photosynthesis that could have adverse effects on crop yield under more severe or longer droughts. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keyword(s): J ; Recurrent drought stress (auto) ; Climate warming (auto) ; Memory-effect (auto) ; Water deficit (auto) ; Chlorophyll a fluorescence (auto) ; Phenotypic plasticity (auto)

Note: Many thanks to all interns, who assisted with the measurements, in particular Ines Pastor. We thank Prof. W. Beyschlag and Jun. Prof. Christiane Werner-Pinto of the University of Bielefeld and Prof. J. Tenhunen of the University of Bayreuth for providing us with their PAMs. Many thanks to Dr. H. Auge of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Halle, for providing us with the LI-6400. Thanks to Reinhold Stahlmann and several technical assistants for their help. This work was kindly supported by the Helmholtz Impulse and Networking Fund through the Helmholtz Interdisciplinary Graduate School for Environmental Research (HIGRADE). Thanks to the anonymous reviewers for helping to improve the manuscript.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Pflanzenwissenschaften (IBG-2)

Research Program(s):

1. Terrestrische Umwelt (P24)

Appears in the scientific report 2011

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