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Carbohydrate Dynamics in Leaves of Rapeseed ( Brassica napus ) Under Drought
Author(s) -
Müller T.,
Lentzsch P.,
Müller M. E. H.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of agronomy and crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.095
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-037X
pISSN - 0931-2250
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-037x.2011.00502.x
Subject(s) - raffinose , osmolyte , cultivar , rapeseed , biology , osmoprotectant , brassica , fructan , proline , sucrose , trehalose , agronomy , sugar , fructose , carbohydrate , osmoregulation , drought tolerance , botany , amino acid , food science , salinity , biochemistry , ecology
Until now, the carbohydrate dynamics in leaves of rapeseed under drought have largely been unknown. For this reason, a growth chamber study was conducted to examine whether the accumulation of carbohydrates under drought stress contributes to osmotic adjustment in leaf tissue. Plants of the cultivar Titan were subjected to temporary drought in the vegetative and reproductive stages. A third variant of long‐term drought covered the period from leaf development to flowering. The level of sucrose decreased under moderate water deficit, but accumulated under severe long‐term drought. Concentrations of glucose, fructose and trehalose were significantly enhanced and that of raffinose decreased in all the variants of drought. There was no evidence that any of the carbohydrates analysed in this study or the activities of soluble acid and cell wall invertases contributed to a drought‐induced accumulation of osmolytes. The results of this study indicate that osmotic adjustment in response to drought in leaves of the rapeseed cultivar Titan is only limited. It is virtually impossible that carbohydrates function as osmoprotectants in leaves of this cultivar, rising above that of the frequently detected accumulation of proline in rapeseed under water deficit.