-Pedunculate (Quercus robur L.) and sessile (Q. petraea [Matt.] Liebl.) oaks are known to display different ecological requirements, particularly relative to root hypoxia induced by water-logging. Q. robur is more tolerant to hypoxia than Q. petraea. We designed an experiment aiming at identifying morphological and physiological responses to root hypoxia that might differ between the two species. Potted seedlings were submitted during seven weeks to a water-logging treatment with O 2 concentrations below 3 mg L −1 in the vicinity of roots. The treatment induced growth cessation in both species. Q. petraea displayed a lower tolerance to hypoxia as demonstrated by the higher number of seedlings suffering shoot dieback and leaf chlorosis as compared to Q. robur. This difference should be related to the high number of adventitious roots and hypertrophied lenticels that were formed in Q. robur, compared to Q. petraea. In the fine roots of the two species, the activity of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), the key enzyme of the fermentative pathway, was stimulated after 24 h of water-logging. Transcripts of PDC increased after 48 h of water-logging in Q. robur and not in Q. petraea. Interestingly, transcripts of haemoglobin (Hb) (possibly involved in the putative nitric oxide cycle) followed the same pattern of response than those of PDC. Enzymes of the sucrose degradation pathway displayed decreased activities after 3 weeks of water-logging, probably due to decreased carbohydrate availability. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), sucrose synthase (Susy), and pyruvate kinase (PK) activities were higher in Q. robur after 3 weeks of water-logging. This study provided a set of markers characterizing the differences of tolerance to hypoxia between the two species for further studies on intra and inter-specific diversity.water-logging / hypoxia / adventitious root / hypertrophied lenticel / carbon metabolism Résumé -Différences de réponses morphologiques et physiologiques à l'ennoyage entre deux espèces sympatriques de chêne (Quercus petraea [Matt.] Liebl., Quercus robur L.). Les chênes pédonculé (Quercus robur L.) et sessile (Quercus petraea [Matt.] Liebl.) présentent des différences de tolérance à l'hypoxie racinaire induite par ennoyage, Q. robur étant plus tolérant que Q. petraea. Nous avons mené une expérience visant à identifier des différences inter-spécifiques dans les réponses morphologiques et physiologiques à l'hypoxie racinaire. Des semis en pots ont été soumis à un ennoyage de 7 semaines avec une concentration en O 2 maintenue en dessous de 3 mg L −1 au voisinage des racines. Le traitement a provoqué un arrêt de croissance chez les deux espèces. Q. petraea a montré une plus faible tolérance que Q robur, avec un nombre plus élevé de plants présentant un dessèchement de l'appareil aérien ainsi qu'une plus forte chlorose des feuilles. Cette différence pourrait être due au plus grand nombre de racines adventives et de lenticelles hypertrophiées formées au collet de Q. robur. Dans les racines fines des deux espèces, l'...

Quercus robur L. is a mid-European broadleaved tree species that grows readily on temporary waterlogged soils. An experiment aiming to identify potential markers of tolerance to waterlogging in this species and to assess the degree of genetic control over the corresponding traits was conducted. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were assessed in an F1 progeny for responses to waterlogging, and the relevance of the observed traits as markers of tolerance was investigated using a precise description of the time course of their expression. Five significant QTL involved in the response to waterlogging were identified. In particular, QTL were detected for the development of hypertrophied lenticels and for the degree of leaf epinasty, but not for the formation of adventitious roots. A multi-environment QTL model allowed a detailed description of the time course (7 weeks) of the allelic substitution effect of some of these QTL. Correlation clustering identified significant clusters of QTL, at inter-trait as well as at intra-trait level. These clusters suggest the occurrence of a genetically controlled response cascade to waterlogging.

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