Drought stress-induced physiological and biochemical changes in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) cultivars under in vitro conditions

Nilgun Gokturk Baydar, Tunhan Demirci and Ilknur Albayrak

Drought stress-induced physiological and biochemical changes in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) cultivars under in vitro conditions

Nilgun Gokturk Baydar, Tunhan Demirci and Ilknur Albayrak

Suleyman Demirel University, Turkey

: J Plant Physiol Pathol

Abstract

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) is a very important medicinal plant cultivated for seed, oil and opium for food, perfume, cosmetic and medicinal industries. Unsuitable climatic conditions influence the plant growth and cause some biochemical changes. Drought is also one of the most important stress factors affecting the opium poppy plants. In vitro techniques provide to determine the effects of stress factors on plants in a short time and under controlled conditions. This study was carried out to determine the effects of drought stress on the growth, development and biochemical properties in four opium poppy cultivars (TMO-3, TÃ„Â±naztepe, Zaferyolu and Kemerkaya) under in vitro conditions. For this aim, seeds were cultured on Ã‚Â½ MS medium added 3% sucrose, 1 mg l-1 gibberellic acid, 0.1 mg l-1 indol-3 acetic acid, 0.6% agar and different concentrations of PEG 6000 (0%, 2% and 4%). It was demonstrated that all of the investigated parameters were affected by the applications of PEG. An increase in PEG led to reduction in germination rate, shoot length and fresh plant weight while injury index, chlorophyll, proline, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities increased depending on rising of the PEG concentrations. As a result of this research, PEG treated plants compared to control plants, were negatively affected by drought stress induced by PEG and there were important differences among opium poppy cultivars in terms of resistance to drought.