Comparative analysis of stress tolerance in aegilops accessions and triticum wheat varieties to detect different drought tolerance strategies

Abstract

The drought stress tolerance of three accessions of Aegilops biuncialis Vis. (Ae225, Ae550 and Ae1050) and two varieties of Triticum aestivum L. (Sakha and Cappelle Desprez) was compared. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoenzymes, which reflects the intensity of oxidative stress, changes in the malonic dialdehyde (MDA) content, formed during the lipid peroxidation induced by stress situations, and the inducibility of electron removal systems appearing as an alternative to CO2 fixation were chosen for the present investigations. Drought stress was simulated using polyethylene glycol (PEG). The order of drought stress tolerance obtained correlated well with the original habitats of the varieties. The present results provide a clear illustration of the fact that tolerant varieties respond differently for the parameters tested, suggesting that their resistance can be attributed to different mechanisms. © 2006 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.