PHOTOSYSTEM II FLUORESCENCE AND GROWTH IN CABBAGE PLANTS (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) GROWN UNDER WATERLOGGING STRESS

Abstract

Waterlogging stress is a limiting factor in the production of crops grown in localities with high rainfall frequency. Waterlogging causes a decrease in the availability of O2 in roots, which substantially affects the anatomy, morphology and metabolism of plants. Oxygen deficiency inhibits mitochondrial respiration, oxidation, and oxygenation processes, causing severe affection of plant metabolism. A test in greenhouse conditions was carried out in Tunja, Colombia, in order to evaluate the effect of waterlogging on the growth of cabbage plants (Brassica oleracea var. capitata). Some plants were waterlogged for 25 days and their physiological response was compared with plants maintained at field capacity. As consequence of waterlogging, leaf area, total dry weight, chlorophyll content, leaf area ratio, absolute growth rate and relative growth rate were reduced. In addition, necrotic plants exhibited a high percentage of necrosis in the leaves. As for the variables related to chlorophyll fluorescence, there was a decrease of 17,9, 50,0 and 36,0% in the Fv/Fm values, ΦPSII and qP, respectively. All of these results indicate low tolerance of cabbage plants to waterlogging.

Keywords

• Biomass
• chlorophyll content
• relative growth rate
• ΦPSII
• Fv/Fm