Growth Characteristics, Physiological and Metabolic Responses of Teak (Tectona Grandis Linn. f.) Clones Differing in Rejuvenation Capacity Subjected to Drought Stress

Four-year old clones (FG1 and FG11) of teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.), differing in rejuvenation capacity were grown in glazed earthenware pots. Drought treatments were imposed by withholding water for 20 days and re-watered to the field capacity daily for 5 days and the possible role of biochemical alteration and antioxidant metabolism in conferring photosynthetic capacity was determine by measuring photosynthetic traits, cellular damage and assaying activities of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (PER) enzymes. Growth, relative water content (RWC), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and soluble protein content decreased significantly with increasing drought treatments from 5 to 20 days. Drought-induced stress significantly increased the carotenoids content, relative electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and, at the same time, accumulated free proline, free amino acid and soluble sugars in both clones. After re-watered to the field capacity daily for 5 days, both clones were shown significant recovery in the studied parameters. As compared with the FG11, the FG1 clone was more tolerant to drought as indicated by higher level of antioxidant enzyme activities as well as lower MDA content and electrolyte leakage. Similarly, drought stress caused less pronounced inhibition of Pn in FG1 than in FG11 clone. After re-hydration, the recovery was relatively quicker in FG1 than in FG11 clone. FG1 clone showed significant recovery in maximum quantum yield or photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) after 5 days of re-watering. The FG11 compared to the FG1, the former clone was less tolerant to drought than the latter. These results demonstrated that the different physiological strategies including antioxidative enzymes employed by the FG1 and FG11 clones of T grandis to protect photosynthetic apparatus and alleviate drought stress. Furthermore, this study also provides ideas for teak improvement programmes and may be useful in breeding or genetic engineering for their tolerance to drought stress.