Photosynthetica 2015, 53(2):288-298 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-015-0113-6

Effect of drought stress on the photosynthesis of Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana at the young seedling stage

S. Kebbas1,2,3, S. Lutts2,*, F. Aid3
1 Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université Blida 1, Blida, Algeria
2 Groupe de Recherche en Physiologie Végétale, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
3 Equipe de Physiologie Végétale, LBPO, FSB, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene, Bab Ezzouar-Algiers, Algeria

Water stress usually impairs photosynthesis and plant growth. Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana is well adapted to dry environments. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of a progressive decrease in soil water content on photosynthetic-related parameters at the young seedling stage. Drought-induced plant responses occurred according to two types of kinetics. Water potential, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rates were rapidly affected by a decrease in soil water content, while chlorophyll fluorescence-related parameters and chlorophyll concentrations decreased only when soil water content was lower than 40%. The maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry in the dark-adapted state remained unaffected by the treatment, whatever the stress duration. A. raddiana accumulated high concentrations of soluble sugars in relation to a stress-induced early stimulation of sucrose-phosphate synthase activity, while stimulation of invertase and sucrose synthase led to fructose accumulation only at the end of the stress period. We suggested that sugar accumulation may be involved in osmotic adjustment and protection of stressed tissues. A. raddiana was thus able to protect its photosynthetic machinery under drought conditions and may be considered as a promising species for revegetation of dry areas.

Additional key words: gas exchange; growth parameters; stomata; sugar metabolism; water-use efficiency

Received: January 14, 2014; Accepted: August 28, 2014; Published: June 1, 2015  Show citation

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Kebbas, S., Lutts, S., & Aid, F. (2015). Effect of drought stress on the photosynthesis of Acacia tortilis subsp. raddiana at the young seedling stage. Photosynthetica, 53(2), 288-298. doi: 10.1007/s11099-015-0113-6
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