Abstract

The effect of drought stress on Abscisic acid (ABA) on roots and root characteristics of three alfalfa varieties (Aohan, Zhongmu No.1 and Suntory) was studied. The study was conducted in greenhouse of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China from September 2014 to May 2015. Alfalfa varieties were exposed to four irrigation levels of water-holding capacity viz 100% (w1) (control); 85% (w2); 70% (w3) and 55% (w4), which were considered as deficit irrigation treatments. The results showed that ABA was significantly affected by deficit irrigation treatments during different plant growth stages. With the exception of 90 and 105 days after transplanting, ABA increased after transplanting up to harvest in all treatments. Increasing deficit irrigation showed significant increase in ABA content in roots of alfalfa. The minimum content of ABA was obtained from w1 (44 ng/g.FW) and then increased to 56.6, 64.6 and 94.4 ng/g.FW for w2, w3 and w4 respectively on 105 days after transplanting. Moreover, the results showed that ABA content was differently affected among different varieties of alfalfa under different water stress levels. The maximum ABA content was 83.2, 61.7 and 49.9 ng/g.FW obtained with Aohan, Suntory and Zhongmu No.1 varieties respectively, at 105 days after transplanting. Highest water stress w4 (55%) reduced root length by 20.92%, lateral roots by 20.71%, root fresh biomass by 43.79% and root dry biomass by 37.96%. The root to shoot ratio was 1.9 times higher in water stressed plants compared with the control, indicating that water stress in alfalfa is affected more shoot growth than root one.

Key words: alfalfa, deficit irrigation, Abscisic acid (ABA), root characteristics.