Effects of cold stress on biochemical and physiological characteristics of Antirrhinum majus

Antirrhinum majus, a biennial or perennial herbaceous plant that can survive to at low temperatures. This paper aims to investigate the biochemical and physiological responses of this plant to cold stress. Thus, the experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with ۳ treatments and ۴ replications. The Antirrhinum majus pots were placed in three treatment groups for -۱۰°C, ۳°C and ۲۳°C for ۳ weeks. Then stem length, dry and wet weight of aerial parts, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, compatible osmolytes including soluble carbohydrates, proline and betaine glycine, protein, malondialdehyde and so on. Catalase (CAT), gayacol peroxidase (GPX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzymes were measured in plant leaves. The results showed that cold stress -۱۰°C increased altitude, wetter weight, amount of carotenoids, proline, soluble carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, anthocyanins and the activity of the enzyme ascorbate peroxidase. However, the amount of chlorophyll a, malondialdehyde, protein and the activity of catalase and gayacol peroxidase enzymes did not change compared to control plants at ۲۳°C. The results of this study showed that the Antirrhinum majus plant prevents the damage caused by cold stress by increasing the amount of compatible osmolytes and non-enzymatic antioxidants and some enzymatic antioxidants.

کلیدواژه ها:

Antioxidant enzymes ، Osmolyte ، Photosynthetic pigments