Assessment of Salinity Tolerance Deploying Antioxidant Defense Systems in Gerbera Jamesonii

Abstract

Inconsistency in the environment exposes plants to various abiotic stresses. This results in damage of a plant’s cellular components due to excessive accumulation of unstable reactive oxygen. Besides, it also disrupts enzymatic/non-enzymatic detoxification mechanisms in plants making them more sensitive. Salinity is one such abiotic stress which disrupts regular physiological mechanisms in plants. In this study, we examined the effects of salinity using NaCl in four different genotypes of Gerbera jamesonii cv Bolus, an important ornamental plant of family Compositae. We hypothesized that, upon treatment with NaCl (50, 100, 150 200mM concentration), alterations in the morphological features along with elevated levels of H2O2, MDA, proline, and degradation of chlorophyll will be observed. The enzymatic antioxidant defenses were also hypothesized to differ among genotypes based on their level of tolerance. These parameters were monitored on the 5th and 20th day of NaCl treatment and results were recorded. The observations suggest that 1. the Lattara genotype of Gerbera is sensitive to NaCl and 2. Faith is tolerant, while 3. Alcatras and Basic are moderately tolerant. These findings accompanied by further research on the physiological parameters responsible for attaining salinity tolerance may help in developing salt-tolerant varieties in Gerbera. Future studies on decoding molecular networks associated with the antioxidative defense system in Gerbera can help improve breeding and create novel germplasm in various ornamentally important plants besides Gerbera.