Role of barley stem reserves in the maintenance of grain yield under terminal drought

Abstract

Under terminal drought conditions, due to the limitation of current photosynthesis, the impact of cereal stem carbohydrates reserves and their contribution to the grain yield preservation could be enhanced. The role of stem fructan remobilization on yield of barley was examined under drought conditions in the present study. The fructan accumulation and remobilization rate of the penultimate internode were studied in Morocco 9–75 and Yousef, as drought susceptible and tolerant barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars, respectively. Drought stress increased the fructan accumulation and remobilization in Yousef, supporting it from severe yield loss compared to Morocco cultivar. Under drought stress conditions, during grain filling of Yousef cultivar, the strong correlations were observed between the relative expression of the key genes involved in the fructan metabolism, that is 1‐SST and 6‐SFT (fructan biosynthesis genes) with the fructan content, as well as between the expression of 1‐FEH (fructan exohydrolase) and SUT1 (sucrose transporter) with fructan remobilization. Yousef cultivar contained considerable water‐soluble carbohydrate content of stem internodes, and a rise in osmolytes such as fructan may lead to the efficient osmotic adjustment, which in turn resulted in the maintenance of the water content and stomatal conductance. Based on the results, enhanced fructan accumulation and its induced remobilization under drought conditions can play an important role in yield stability of Yousef under stress. The barley genotypes with high potential for fructan production and remobilization under terminal drought stress could provide the appropriate materials for drought tolerance breeding and screening for these traits.

Co-application of arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi and putrescine improves essential oil production and drought tolerance cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.)

“…Water de cit conditions, especially in the reproductive stage, result in the closure of stomatal apparatuses, which reduces chlorophyll orescence and then photosynthesis duration 34 . Such reduction in the photosynthesis period leads to a decrease in material mobilization to the seeds and the share of remobilization of material stored in the stem to seeds and a decrease in the seed yield 35,36 . These results are consistent with the researchers who found a signi cant increase in seed yield when plants were inoculated with AMF under non-water stress conditions [37][38][39] and water de cit stress conditions 40,41 .…”

Magnetic Field Treatment in Barley: Improved Salt Tolerance in Early Stages of Development

“…Barley cultivation is in second place after wheat among the cereals in Turkey. Although the purpose of growing barley is for feed and partial malting production, its use for food is increasing with its rich carbohydrate content (Tafresh et al, 2023). Malting barley production has a very small place in total barley production in Turkey.…”