Photosynthetica 2018, 56(4):1019-1030 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-018-0821-9

Morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of muskmelon genotypes to different degree of water deficit

W. A. Ansari2,3, N. Atri3, B. Singh1, P. Kumar3, S. Pandey1,*
1 ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, P.O.-Jakhani (Shahanshahpur), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), India
2 Department of Botany, M.M.V, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), India
3 ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur (Rajasthan), India

Morpho-physiological and biochemical analyses were carried out in eight diverse indigenous muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) genotypes exposed to different degrees of water deficit (WD). The ability of genotypes MM-7, and especially MM-6, to counteract better the negative effect of WD was associated with maintaining higher relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic rate, efficiency of PSII, and photosynthetic pigments compare to other genotypes. Furthermore, MM-6 showed a better ability to maintain cellular homeostasis than the others. It was indicated by a stimulated antioxidative defense system, i.e., higher activities of antioxidant enzymes, accumulation of nonenzymatic antioxidants together with lower concentration of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde. However, the genotypes MM-2 and MM-5 suffered greatly due to WD and showed reduced RWC, photosynthetic rates, pigment content, and exhibited higher oxidative stress observed as lower antioxidant enzyme activities.

Keywords: antioxidant enzyme; muskmelon; photosynthesis; proline; reactive oxygen species

Received: June 19, 2017; Accepted: November 22, 2017; Prepublished online: December 1, 2018; Published: November 1, 2018Show citation

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Ansari, W.A., Atri, N., Singh, B., Kumar, P., & Pandey, S. (2018). Morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of muskmelon genotypes to different degree of water deficit. Photosynthetica, 56(4), 1019-1030. doi: 10.1007/s11099-018-0821-9.
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