Register      Login
Crop and Pasture Science Crop and Pasture Science Society
Plant sciences, sustainable farming systems and food quality
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Growth and physiological responses of six barley genotypes to waterlogging and subsequent recovery

Jiayin Pang A , Meixue Zhou A , Neville Mendham A and Sergey Shabala A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Agricultural Science and Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 54, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

B Corresponding author; email: Sergey.Shabala@utas.edu.au

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 55(8) 895-906 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR03097
Submitted: 12 May 2003  Accepted: 7 June 2004   Published: 31 August 2004

Abstract

In this study, the growth response of 6 barley genotypes of different origin (3 from China, 2 from Australia, 1 from Japan) to waterlogging and subsequent recovery was evaluated in 2 different soil types, an artificial potting mix and a Vertosol. A range of physiological measurements was assessed, to develop a method to aid selection for waterlogging tolerance. Plants at the 3 or 4 expanded leaf stages were subjected to waterlogging for 3 weeks followed by 2 weeks of recovery. Both shoot and root growth was negatively affected by waterlogging. As waterlogging stress developed, chlorophyll content, CO2 assimilation rate, and maximal quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) decreased significantly. The adverse effect of waterlogging was most severe for genotype Naso Nijo, intermediate for ZP, Gairdner, DYSYH, and Franklin, and least for TX9425 in both trials. Studies of the root anatomy suggested that such a contrasting behaviour may be partially due to a significant difference in the pattern of aerenchyma formation in barley roots. The adverse effects in stressed plants were alleviated after 2 weeks of drainage for all genotypes. In general, TX9425 continued to grow better than other varieties, whereas recovery of Naso Nijo was extremely slow. It is suggested that screening a small number of lines for waterlogging tolerance could be facilitated by selecting genotypes with least pronounced reduction of photosynthetic rate or total chlorophyll content, and for a larger number of lines, chlorophyll fluorescence is the most appropriate tool.

Additional keywords: chlorophyll content, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, aerenchyma.


Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) of Australia. We are grateful to Christiane Smethurst and Yuda Hariadi for their assistance during the course of this work.


References


Ahmed S, Nawata E, Sakuratani T (2002) Effects of waterlogging at vegetative and reproductive growth stages on photosynthesis, leaf water potential and yield in mungbean. Plant Production Science 5, 117–123. open url image1

Akhtar J, Nawaz S, Qureshi R, Aslam M, Saqib M (2002) Development/selection of salinity and waterlogging tolerance wheat genotypes. ‘Prospects for saline agriculture’. (Eds R Ahmad, KA Malik) pp. 101–112. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht, The Netherlands)

Ashraf M, Chishti SN (1993) Waterlogging tolerance of some accessions of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic). Tropical Agriculture 70, 60–67. open url image1

Batzli JM, Dawson JO (1997) Physiological and morphological responses of red alder and sitka alder to flooding. Physiologia Plantarum 99, 653–663.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bishnoi NR, Krishnamoorthy HN (1992) Effect of waterlogging and gibberellic acid on leaf gas exchange in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L). Journal of Plant Physiology 139, 503–505. open url image1

Björkman O, Demmig B (1987) Photon yield of O2 evolution and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics at 77-K among vascular plants of diverse origins. Planta 170, 489–504.
Crossref |
open url image1

Boru G, van Ginkel M, Kronstad WE, Boersma L (2001) Expression and inheritance of tolerance to waterlogging stress in wheat. Euphytica 117, 91–98.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Boyer JS (1982) Plant productivity and environment. Science 218, 443–448. open url image1

Bradford KJ, Hsiao TC (1982) Stomatal behavior of water relations of waterlogged tomato plants. Plant Physiology 70, 1508–1513. open url image1

Castonguay Y, Nadeau P, Simard RR (1993) Effects of flooding on carbohydrate and ABA levels in roots and shoots of alfalfa. Plant, Cell and Environment 16, 695–702. open url image1

Crosson P, Anderson JR (1992) Resources and global food prospects: supply and demand for cereals to 2030. World Bank Technical Paper No.184, Washington, DC.

Daugherty CJ, Matthews SW, Musgrave ME (1994) Structural changes in rapid-cycling Brassica rapa selected for differential waterlogging tolerance. Canadian Journal of Botany 72, 1322–1328. open url image1

Davies MS, Hillman GC (1988) Effects of soil flooding on growth and grain yield of populations of tetraploid and hexaploid species of wheat. Annals of Botany 62, 597–604. open url image1

Drew MC (1991) Oxygen deficiency in the root environment and plant mineral nutrition. ‘Plant life under oxygen deprivation’. (Eds MB Jackson, DD Davies, H Lambers) pp. 301–316. (Academic Publishing: The Hague)

Drew MC, Jackson MB, Giffard S (1979) Ethylene-promoted adventitious rooting and development of cortical air spaces (aerenchyma) in roots may be adaptive responses to flooding in Zea mays L. Planta 147, 83–88.
Crossref |
open url image1

Everard JD, Drew MC (1989) Water relations of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) shoots during exposure of the root system to oxygen deficiency. Journal of Experimental Botany 40, 1255–1264. open url image1

Fausey NR, Vantoai TT, McDonald MB (1985) Response of 10 corn cultivars to flooding. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 28, 1794–1797. open url image1

Ghassemi, F , Jakeman, AJ ,  and  Nix, HA (1995). ‘Salinisation of land and water resources—human causes, extent, management and case studies.’ (University of New South Wales Press Ltd: Sydney, NSW)

Gries C, Kappen L, Losch R (1990) Mechanism of flood tolerance in reed, Phragmites-australis (Cav) Trin ex Steudel. New Phytologist 114, 589–593. open url image1

Huang BR, Johnson JW, Nesmith DS, Bridges DC (1994a) Growth, physiological and anatomical responses of 2 wheat genotypes to waterlogging and nutrient supply. Journal of Experimental Botany 45, 193–202. open url image1

Huang BR, Johnson JW, Nesmith DS, Bridges DC (1994b) Root and shoot growth of wheat genotypes in response to hypoxia and subsequent resumption of aeration. Crop Science 34, 1538–1544. open url image1

Jackson MB, Drew MC (1984) Effects of flooding on growth and metabolism of herbaceous plants. ‘Flooding and plant growth’. (Ed. TT Kozlowski) pp. 47–128. (Academic Press: New York)

Jackson MB, Pearce DME (1991) Hormones and morphological adaptation to aeration stress in rice. ‘Plant life under oxygen deprivation’. (Eds MB Jackson, DD Davies, H Lambers) pp. 47–67. (Academic Publishing: The Hague)

Johnson GN, Young AJ, Scholes JD, Horton P (1993) The dissipation of excess excitation energy in British plant species. Plant, Cell and Environment 16, 673–679. open url image1

Justin S, Armstrong W (1987) The anatomical characteristics of roots and plant response to soil flooding. New Phytologist 106, 465–495. open url image1

Kaneko T, Zhang WS, Ito K, Takeda K (2001) Worldwide distribution of beta-amylase thermostability in barley. Euphytica 121, 225–228.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Kozlowski TT (1984) Extent, cause, and impact of flooding. ‘Flooding and plant growth’. (Ed. TT Kozlowski) pp. 1–7. (Academic Press: New York)

Krizek DT (1982) Plant response to atmospheric stress caused by waterlogging. ‘Breeding plants for less favorable environments’. (Eds MN Christiansen, CF Lewis, H Lambers) pp. 293–335. (John Wiley and Sons, Inc.: New York)

Laan P, Berrevoets MJ, Lythe S, Armstrong W, Blom C (1989) Root morphology and aerenchyma formation as indicators of the flood-tolerance of Rumex species. Journal of Ecology 77, 693–703. open url image1

Limpinuntana V, Greenway H (1979) Sugar accumulation in barley and rice grown in solutions with low concentrations of oxygen. Annals of Botany 43, 373–381. open url image1

Luxmoore RJ, Stolzy LH (1969) Root porosity and growth responses of rice and maize to oxygen supply. Agronomy Journal 61, 201–204. open url image1

Malik A, Colmer TD, Lambers H, Schortemeyer M (2001) Changes in physiological and morphological traits of roots and shoots of wheat in response to different depths of waterlogging. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 28, 1121–1131.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Maxwell K, Johnson GN (2000) Chlorophyll fluorescence — a practical guide. Journal of Experimental Botany 51, 659–668.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | open url image1

McDonald MP, Galwey NW, Colmer TD (2002) Similarity and diversity in adventitious root anatomy as related to root aeration among a range of wetland and dryland grass species. Plant, Cell and Environment 25, 441–451.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Meyer WS, Barrs HD, Mosier AR, Schaefer NL (1987) Response of maize to 3 short-term periods of waterlogging at high and low nitrogen levels on undisturbed and repacked soil. Irrigation Science 8, 257–272.
Crossref |
open url image1

Moon M, Rattray MR, Putz FE, Bowes G (1993) Acclimatization to flooding of the herbaceous vine, Mikania scandens.  Functional Ecology 7, 610–615. open url image1

Percival GC, Biggs MP, Dixon GR (1998) The influence of sodium chloride and waterlogging stresses on Alnus cordata. Journal of Arboriculture 24, 19–27. open url image1

Plaut Z, Mayoral ML, Reinhold L (1987) Effect of altered sink: source ratio on photosynthetic metabolism of source leaves. Plant Physiology 85, 786–791. open url image1

Price P (1993) Resource base: the nation’s vital asset. Agricultural Science 6, 42–45. open url image1

Qureshi R, Rashid A, Ahmad N (1990) A procedure for quick screening of wheat cultivars for salt tolerance. ‘Genetic aspects of plant mineral nutrition’. (Eds NE Bassam, M Damborth, BC Laughman) pp. 315–324. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht, The Netherlands)

Reece CF, Riha SJ (1991) Role of root systems of eastern larch and white spruce in response to flooding. Plant, Cell and Environment 14, 229–234. open url image1

Sena Gomes AR, Kozlowski TT (1980) Growth responses and adaptations of Fraxinus pennsylvanica seedlings to flooding. Plant Physiology 66, 267–271. open url image1

Setter TL, Burgess P, Waters I, Kuo J (1999) Genetic diversity of barley and wheat for waterlogging tolerance in Western Australia. ‘Proceedings of the 9th Australian Barley Technical Symposium’. Melbourne.. (Australian Barley Technical Symposium Inc.)


Setter TL, Waters I (2003) Review of prospects for germplasm improvement for waterlogging tolerance in wheat, barley and oats. Plant and Soil 253, 1–34.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Shabala S (2002) Screening plants for environmental fitness: chlorophyll fluorescence as a ‘Holy Grail’ for plant breeders. ‘Holy Grail’ for plant breeders. In ‘Advances in plant physiology’. (Ed. A Hemantaranjan) pp. 287–340. (Scientific Publishers: Jodhpur, India)

Singh BP, Tucker KA, Sutton JD, Bhardwaj HL (1991) Flooding reduces gas exchange and growth in snap bean. HortScience 26, 372–373. open url image1

Smethurst CF, Shabala S (2003) Screening methods for waterlogging tolerance in lucerne: comparative analysis of waterlogging effects on chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthesis, biomass and chlorophyll content. Functional Plant Biology 30, 335–343.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Smith M, Moss JS (1998) An experimental investigation, using stomatal conductance and fluorescence, of the flood sensitivity of Boltonia decurrens and its competitors. Journal of Applied Ecology 35, 553–561.
Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Talbot RJ, Etherington JR, Bryant JA (1987) Comparative studies of plant growth and distribution in relation to waterlogging. XII. Growth, photosynthetic capacity and metal ion uptake in Salix caprea and S. cinerea ssp. oleifolia.  New Phytologist 105, 563–574. open url image1

Tennant D, Scholz G, Dixon J, Purdie B (1992) Physical and chemical characteristics of duplex soils and their distribution in the south-west of Western Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 32, 827–843. open url image1

Thomson CJ, Colmer TD, Watkin ELJ, Greenway H (1992) Tolerance of wheat (Triticum aestivum cvs Gamenya and Kite) and triticale (Triticosecale cv. Muir) to waterlogging. New Phytologist 120, 335–344. open url image1

Trought MCT, Drew MC (1980) The development of waterlogging damage in young wheat plants in anaerobic solution cultures. Journal of Experimental Botany 31, 1573–1585. open url image1

Vantoai T, Fausey N, McDonald M (1988) Oxygen requirements for germination and growth of flood-susceptible and flood-tolerant corn lines. Crop Science 28, 79–83. open url image1

Wagner PA, Dreyer E (1997) Interactive effects of waterlogging and irradiance on the photosynthetic performance of seedlings from three oak species displaying different sensitivities (Quercus robur, Q. petraea and Q. rubra). Annales Des Sciences Forestieres 54, 409–429. open url image1

Webb JA, Fletcher RA (1996) Paclobutrazol protects wheat seedlings from injury due to waterlogging. Plant Growth Regulation 18, 201–206.
Crossref |
open url image1

Wenkert W, Fausey NR, Watters HD (1981) Flooding responses in Zea mays L. Plant and Soil 62, 351–366. open url image1

Zhou MX, Mendham N (2001) Developing collaborative studies with China. ‘Proceedings of the 10th Australian Barley Technical Symposium’. Canberra, ACT.. (Australian Barley Technical Symposium Inc.)