Antioxidant activity and fermentative metabolism in the plant Erythrina crista-galli L. under flood conditions

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the mechanisms of flood tolerance of the root system of Erythrina crista-galli L. plants by measuring the activity of antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress components in the leaves and roots. Additionally, the activity of fermentation enzymes in the roots was measured. The following two treatments were used: plants with flooded roots, which were maintained at a given water level above the soil surface, and non-flooded plants, which were used as the control. The measurements were performed at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 days after treatment. The following parameters were evaluated at each time-point: the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase, the quantification of lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content in the leaves, roots, and adventitious roots, and the activities of lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase in both the primary and adventitious roots. There was an increase in the activity of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase in the leaves to maintain stable H2O2 levels, which reduced lipid peroxidation. In the roots, higher activity of all antioxidant enzymes was observed at up to 30 days of flooding, which favoured both reduced H2O2 levels and lipid peroxidation. Activity of the fermentation enzymes was observed in the primary roots from the onset of the stress conditions; however, their activity was necessary only in the adventitious roots during the final periods of flooding. In conclusion, E. crista-galli L. depends on adventitious roots and particularly on the use of the fermentation pathway to tolerate flood conditions.