Growth and antioxidant responses triggered by water stress in wild relatives of eggplant

Wild relatives of eggplant (Solanum melongena) are interest for breeding tolerance to drought. To assess the potential wild from different gene pools, 18 accessions belonging and eight were evaluated water stress tolerance. Plants grown in pots normally irrigated or subjected by stopping irrigation. Growth biochemical parameters related oxidative stress, including proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), total phenolics flavonoids contents, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) glutathione reductase (GR) activities, determined after 11 days treatment. The reduction dry matter content aerial part water-stressed vs. control plants allowed classifying into three groups: tolerant (< 25% reduction), intermediate (25–35% susceptible (> 35% reduction). Proline concentration increased all under particular more ones, which showed an average increase than 30-fold over values, compared ca. 8-fold accessions. group accessions, included S. incanum, pyracanthos, dasyphyllum torvum, was also characterised unchanged MDA contents a pronounced mean levels (20.6% non-stressed controls 3.4% 5.0% least ones). activity antioxidant enzymes extremely variable within groups even same species. results obtained reveal high diversity drought provide insights mechanisms involved response relatives. materials identified programmes developing rootstocks new cultivars with higher