Drought effects on elongation kinetics and sugar deposition in the elongation zone of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) leaves

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of drought stress on the kinetics of leaf elongation in relationship to the variation of sugar concentrations and their net deposition rates along the elongation zone of leaf 4 of durum wheat plants. Plants were grown in soil in a naturally illuminated greenhouse, and water was withheld from seedlings for a period of 14 days. Leaf 4 of 26 day-old plants was used for growth measurements and tissue sampling. Relative elemental growth rates (REGR), cell displacement velocity (DV), and elongation zone length (EZL) were significantly reduced by drought treatment. Together, this resulted in a decrease in leaf elongation rate (LER) in drought-stressed plants. Epidermal cell length along the elongation zone was not significantly affected by drought stress, indicating that the decrease in elongation zone length was due mainly to a reduction in cell production rate. The concentration of total soluble sugars (TSS) and non-reducing sugars (NRS) was highest at the leaf base and decreased distally from 10 mm from the leaf base in plants grown under non-stressed (control) conditions. Drought stress caused a significant accumulation of TSS at the leaf base, mainly through an increase in non-reducing sugars. The continuity equation was used to calculate sugar net deposition rates. Drought stress increased the net deposition rates of non-reducing sugars in the first 10 mm from the leaf base. This increase was the principal source for the increase in non-reducing sugars concentrations at the leaf base in response to drought.