TITLE:
Iron Deficiency Tolerance at Leaf Level in Medicago ciliaris Plants
AUTHORS:
Wissal M’sehli, Hayet Houmani, Silvia Donnini, Graziano Zocchi, Chedly Abdelly, Mohammed Gharsalli
KEYWORDS:
Iron Deficiency, Medicago ciliaris, Photosynthesis, Oxidative Stress, Tolerance Indicators
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.5 No.16,
July
31,
2014
ABSTRACT: Iron deficiency is
an important environmental factor restricting plant productivity. Selecting tolerant
genotypes is one of the possible ways to solve this problem. Many studies reported
the effects of Fe deficiency on photosynthesis and anti-oxidative defense
system. Yet, there is little information available on the use of these
attributes as selective criteria. In the present study, we aim to determine
some physiological and biochemical traits conferring Fe deficiency tolerance at
leaf level in two lines of Medicago ciliaris. Our results showed that Fe
deprivation had a lowering effect on photosynthesis (chlorophyll,
photosynthetic electron transport activity and chlorophyll fluorescence) in
both lines studied. However, the sensitive line TN8.7 was more affected.
Hydrogen peroxide concentration was negatively correlated with the activities
of antioxidant enzymes and with the concentration of some non-enzymatic
antioxidant. The tolerant line TN11.11 was characterized by a more efficient
antioxidant defense system in comparison with the sensitive line TN8.7. The
main conclusion of this study is that photosynthesis and antioxidant defense
system could be used as physiological and biochemical indicators of Fe
deficiency tolerance in Medicago ciliaris plants.