Seed Antioxidants Interplay with Drought Stress Tolerance Indices in Chilli (Capsicum annuum L) Seedlings

• Published in: BioMed research international Vol. 2018; no. 2018; pp. 1 - 14
• Main Authors: Prasad, G. Shiva, Deepthi, R. Sri, Krishna, M. S. R., Sahitya, U. Lakshmi, Kasim, D. Peda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01-01-2018; Hindawi; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Aquatic resources; Biochemistry; Capsicum - metabolism; Capsicum annuum; Catalase; Chlorophyll; Climate change; Climatic conditions; Correlation analysis; Crop yield; Cultivars; Dehydration; Disease Resistance; Drought; Drought resistance; Droughts; Enzymes; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Field capacity; Gene expression; Genotypes; Hydrogen peroxide; India; Malondialdehyde; Metabolites; Moisture content; Peppers; Physiology; Plant growth; Principal components analysis; Proline; Rice; Seedlings; Seeds; Seeds - metabolism; Soil sciences; Stress, Physiological; Superoxide; Superoxide dismutase; Water content; Water regimes; Water stress; India; United States > US; Kentucky
• ISSN: 2314-6133; 2314-6141
• DOI: 10.1155/2018/1605096

Altering climatic conditions and water stress drastically affects the chilli crop yield. In this scenario we adapted a strategic approach for screening of elite chilli genotypes, by exploring role of seed antioxidants in stress tolerance during vegetative phase. A total of 20 chilli genotypes’ seed antioxidant potential and its effect on water stress tolerance were studied at three water regimes, namely, control (100% Field Capacity), moderate (80% Field Capacity), and severe (60% Field Capacity) stress conditions. Drought tolerance traits relative water content, chlorophyll content, and activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes were measured. A strong correlation was observed between seed antioxidants and water stress tolerant traits in seedlings. Genotypes KCa-5, KCa-6, and KCa-10 showed low quantity of H2O2 and Malondialdehyde in seeds and maintained high membrane integrity and chlorophyll content in seedlings. High content of proline in KCa-5, KCa-7, and KCa-10 seeds retained high relative water content at seedling stage under severe water stress. Present work reveals genotypic differences of hot pepper to different water regimes. Based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of seed antioxidant variables and drought tolerance indices twenty genotypes segregated into three clusters, namely, drought tolerant and susceptible and moderately tolerant.