Soybean Plants Exposed to Low Concentrations of Potassium Iodide Have Better Tolerance to Water Deficit through the Antioxidant Enzymatic System and Photosynthesis Modulation
Jucelino de Sousa Lima,
Otávio Vitor Souza Andrade,
Leônidas Canuto dos Santos,
Everton Geraldo de Morais,
Gabryel Silva Martins,
Yhan S. Mutz,
Vitor L. Nascimento,
Paulo Eduardo Ribeiro Marchiori,
Guilherme Lopes,
Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme
Affiliations
Jucelino de Sousa Lima
Department of Biology, Institute of Natural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Otávio Vitor Souza Andrade
Department of Biology, Institute of Natural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Leônidas Canuto dos Santos
Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Everton Geraldo de Morais
Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Gabryel Silva Martins
Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Yhan S. Mutz
Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Vitor L. Nascimento
Department of Biology, Institute of Natural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Paulo Eduardo Ribeiro Marchiori
Department of Biology, Institute of Natural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Guilherme Lopes
Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme
Department of Soil Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Water deficit inhibits plant growth by affecting several physiological processes, which leads to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that may cause oxidative stress. In this regard, iodine (I) is already known to possibly enhance the antioxidant defense system of plants and promote photosynthetic improvements under adverse conditions. However, its direct effect on water deficit responses has not yet been demonstrated. To verify the efficiency of I concerning plant tolerance to water deficit, we exposed soybean plants to different concentrations of potassium iodide (KI) fed to pots with a nutrient solution and subsequently submitted them to water deficit. A decline in biomass accumulation was observed in plants under water deficit, while exposure to KI (10 and 20 μmol L−1) increased plant biomass by an average of 40%. Furthermore, exposure to KI concentrations of up to 20 μM improved gas exchange (~71%) and reduced lipid peroxidation. This is related to the higher enzymatic antioxidant activities found at 10 and 20 μM KI concentrations. However, when soybean plants were properly irrigated, KI concentrations greater than 10 μM promoted negative changes in photosynthetic efficiency, as well as in biomass accumulation and partition. In sum, exposure of soybean plants to 10 μM KI improved tolerance to water deficit, and up to this concentration, there is no evidence of phytotoxicity in plants grown under adequate irrigation.