Transcriptional insights into sugarcane aquaporin genes under water deficit conditions

Abstract Water deficit in soil during formative growth stage adversely hinders the crop productivity. Plant develop a key chain of mechanisms to cope these strains. Characterization of genotypes under water deficit will provide the basis for breeding new germplasm for efficient utilization of water and nutrients and adaptation to water stress. To achieve this, two tolerant (Co 98014 and Co 0118) and two sensitive (CoJ 85 and Co 89003) sugarcane genotypes were assessed for antioxidant responses followed by differential expression of three aquaporin genes (ShPIP2-1, ShPIP-5 and ShPIP2-6) under two water deficit conditions. The MDA and H2O2 contents were significantly higher (p<0.05) in sensitive genotypes as compared to tolerant ones, whereas SOD activity was higher (p<0.05) in tolerant than sensitive genotypes. The transcript analysis of AQPs reveals upregulation of ShPIP2;5, whereas down-regulation of ShPIP2;1 and ShPIP2;6 when plants were imposed to water deficit conditions. The findings under study suggested the role of PIP2 AQPs in regulation of plant water status under water deficit conditions.