loading page

The physiological, biochemical, and molecular modifications under freezing stress
  • +2
  • Hedayatollah Karimzadeh Soureshjani,
  • Ahmad Nezami,
  • Jafar Nabati,
  • Ehsan Oskoueian,
  • Mohammad Javad Ahmadi-Lahijani
Hedayatollah Karimzadeh Soureshjani
Research Center of Plant Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Ahmad Nezami
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Faculty of Agriculture
Author Profile
Jafar Nabati
Research Center of Plant Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
Author Profile
Ehsan Oskoueian
Mashhad Branch, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran
Author Profile
Mohammad Javad Ahmadi-Lahijani
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Faculty of Agriculture
Author Profile

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of chickpea genotypes (MCC797; cold-tolerant and MCC505; cold-sensitive) responses to freezing temperatures (-3, -6, -9, -12 ℃). The increment of leaf malondialdehyde, H2O2, and electrolyte leakage due to freezing stress was greater in the cold-sensitive genotype. The plant survival was also dramatically decreased in the cold-sensitive genotype exposed to freezing stress (20% at -12 ℃), while it remained constant (100%) in the cold-tolerant genotype. The fv’/fm’ and fq’/fm’ was increased sooner during the recovery period in the cold-tolerant (24 h after stress) compare to the cold-sensitive genotype (48 h after stress). Proline and enzymatic antioxidants activity, including APX, CAT, POD, and SOD, were increased more rapidly in the cold-tolerant genotype. The relative gene expression of catalase (cat), peroxidase (pod), and proline were also more stimulated in the cold-tolerant genotype. Freezing temperatures increased the expression of cat, pod, and proline on average by 4, 3, and 6 folds, respectively, in the cold-sensitive, while their upregulation was 16, 13, and 16 folds, respectively, in the cold-tolerant genotype. The greater gene expression and, consequently, the higher antioxidant content of leaves led to lower lipid peroxidation after the cold adaptation in the cold-tolerant genotype.