Species-Level Differences in Osmoprotectants and Antioxidants Contribute to Stress Tolerance of <i>Quercus robur</i> L., and <i>Q. cerris</i> L. Seedlings under Water Deficit and High Temperatures
Marko Kebert,
Vanja Vuksanović,
Jacqueline Stefels,
Mirjana Bojović,
Rita Horák,
Saša Kostić,
Branislav Kovačević,
Saša Orlović,
Luisa Neri,
Massimiliano Magli,
Francesca Rapparini
Affiliations
Marko Kebert
Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, University of Novi Sad, Antona Čehova 13d, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Vanja Vuksanović
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Jacqueline Stefels
Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
Mirjana Bojović
Faculty of Ecological Agriculture, Educons University, Vojvode Putnika 87, 21208 Sremska Kamenica, Serbia
Rita Horák
Teacher Training Faculty in the Hungarian Language, University of Novi Sad, Subotica, Štrosmajerova 11, 24000 Subotica, Serbia
Saša Kostić
Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, University of Novi Sad, Antona Čehova 13d, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Branislav Kovačević
Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, University of Novi Sad, Antona Čehova 13d, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Saša Orlović
Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, University of Novi Sad, Antona Čehova 13d, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Luisa Neri
Institute of BioEconomy (IBE), Department of Bio-Agrifood Science (DiSBA), National Research Council (CNR), Via P. Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
Massimiliano Magli
Institute of BioEconomy (IBE), Department of Bio-Agrifood Science (DiSBA), National Research Council (CNR), Via P. Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
Francesca Rapparini
Institute of BioEconomy (IBE), Department of Bio-Agrifood Science (DiSBA), National Research Council (CNR), Via P. Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
The general aim of this work was to compare the leaf-level responses of different protective components to water deficit and high temperatures in Quercus cerris L. and Quercus robur L. Several biochemical components of the osmotic adjustment and antioxidant system were investigated together with changes in hormones. Q. cerris and Q. robur seedlings responded to water deficit and high temperatures by: (1) activating a different pattern of osmoregulation and antioxidant mechanisms depending on the species and on the nature of the stress; (2) upregulating the synthesis of a newly-explored osmoprotectant, dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP); (3) trading-off between metabolites; and (4) modulating hormone levels. Under water deficit, Q. cerris had a higher antioxidant capacity compared to Q. robur, which showed a lower investment in the antioxidant system. In both species, exposure to high temperatures induced a strong osmoregulation capacity that appeared largely conferred by DMSP in Q. cerris and by glycine betaine in Q. robur. Collectively, the more stress-responsive compounds in each species were those present at a significant basal level in non-stress conditions. Our results were discussed in terms of pre-adaptation and stress-induced metabolic patterns as related to species-specific stress tolerance features.
