Response of White Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) to Single and Repeated Short-Term Waterlogging

Abstract

Climate change has a significant impact on the agricultural sector, negatively affecting plants’ growth and development, with predicted strong consequences on food availability in the future. Although we are experiencing more frequent and intense heavy rainfall events, a major contributor to field flooding, there is still not much known about the impact of these events on different crops. In this study, we investigated the effects of waterlogging on a model plant white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba), with the aim to follow its response to both single and recurrent short-term (72-h length) waterlogging, as well as to track difference in the sensitivity between plants in different growth stages (38- and 48-day-old plants). In our 22-day experiment, settled under fully controlled conditions (16 h day/8 h night, 25 °C day/20 °C night, 60–70% relative air humidity, 250 µmol m−2 s−1 photosynthetic active radiation), with the aim to more comprehensively recognize consequences of waterlogging on plants, we measured changes in plants on multiple levels: (i) within its morphological traits (number and length of leaves, leaf area, and blade width), (ii) within chlorophyll fluorescence and multispectral traits (20 parameters), (iii) following the levels of plant stress parameters (salicylic acid, abscisic acid, proline, and total polyphenols), and (iv) following changes in the plants’ elemental and mineral composition. According to our results, white cabbage was shown not to be very sensitive to waterlogging, with only plants exposed to repeated waterlogging showing signs of the congestion stress. These signs, observed in the changes of molecular stress parameters salicylic and abscisic acids, were not so clearly evident at the aboveground level. We did not observe changes in the plants’ morphologies, nor their photosynthetic performance. In addition, removal of waterlogging stress resulted in complete recovery of our model plants, suggesting a prompt adaptation response of white cabbage. With the projected increased frequency of occurrence of flooding events, it will become increasingly more important to recognize crops being highly sensitive to flooding with the aim to try to adapt to the changing climate.

Use of Biostimulants to Alleviate Anoxic Stress in Waterlogged Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)—A Review

“…Flooding of 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h duration at a later growth stage led to a decreased yield (averaging 3.1%, 6.4%, and 9.5%, respectively, across a 2-year experiment) [24]. Cabbages at the stage of 3-5 leaves exposed to short (3-day) or repeated waterlogged conditions showed decreased proline and ABA and increased salicylic acid (SA) [11]. However, once waterlogged conditions were removed, these parameters returned to normal.…”

“…However, once waterlogged conditions were removed, these parameters returned to normal. Regarding nutrients, P, K, Mg, Zn, and Cu significantly decreased due to waterlogging (varying for 3-day or repeated waterlogging), while Mn and Ca significantly increased [11]. Cabbages at the stage of 2-3 leaves exposed to 25-day waterlogging showed significant reductions in the leaf area, total dry weight, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf area ratio, and growth rate, which the authors took to indicate a low waterlogging tolerance [10].…”

“…Casierra-Posada and Cutler [10] found cabbage to show little tolerance to 25-day flooding, which caused significant changes in growth parameters and chlorophyll content. A more recent study concluded that small cabbage plants are not highly sensitive to short-duration waterlogging (e.g., 3 days long), only showing signs of stress after repeated waterlogged conditions [11]. As the duration of waterlogged conditions varies year to year and is expected to increase, strategies for dealing with these conditions are necessary to protect cabbage production when crops become stressed.…”

Biochemical Response and Gene Expression to Water Deficit of Croatian Grapevine Cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.) and a Specimen of Vitis sylvestris

“…Concentrations of SA and ABA in leaves were determined using LC-MS/MS analysis, as previously described [53]. In brief, 30 mg of the powdered freeze-dried leaves were extracted in 1 mL of 10% v/v methanol containing 1% v/v acetic acid.…”

“…All data acquisition and processing were performed using Agilent MassHunter software (Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2006-2007, Santa Clara, CA, USA). ABA and SA were calculated based on previously prepared calibration curves as previously described [53] and were presented as ng mg −1 dw.…”