Effects of waterlogging at different growth stages on the photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 7212
• Main Authors: Zhang, Ruidong, Yue, Zhongxiao, Chen, Xiaofei, Huang, Ruidong, Zhou, Yufei, Cao, Xiong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 03.05.2023; Nature Publishing Group UK; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; Biomass; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll - analysis; Climate Change; Crop yield; Dry matter; Enzymatic activity; Enzymes; Flowering; Genotypes; Hybrids; Leaves; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase - analysis; Photosynthesis; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase - analysis; Sorghum; Sorghum - growth & development; Sorghum bicolor; Waterlogging
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32478-8

Various plants, including sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), are exposed to waterlogging; however, little is known about the effects of waterlogging at different growth stages on sorghum. A pot experiment was conducted using two sorghum hybrids, Jinuoliang 01 (JN01) and Jinza 31 (JZ31), to investigate the effects of waterlogging at different growth stages on the photosynthesis enzyme activity, chlorophyll content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, photosynthetic parameters, dry matter accumulation, and grain yield. The experiment was conducted using waterlogging treatments implemented at the five-leaf stage (T1), flowering stage (T2), and filling stage (T3), using standard management (no waterlogging) as a control (CK). The adverse effects of waterlogging on sorghum growth varied with the waterlogging timing, with the maximum impact at T1, followed by T2 and T3. JZ31 was more sensitive to waterlogging compared to JN01. Waterlogged conditions inhibited the photosynthetic enzyme activity and reduced the chlorophyll content and photosynthesis, ultimately lowering the biomass yield and grain yield. The maximum yield loss was observed with the T1 waterlogging treatment; the grain yield of JN01 and JZ31 decreased by 52.01-54.58% and 69.52-71.97%, respectively, compared with CK. Furthermore, the decline in grain yield in T1 was associated with reducing grain number per panicle. These findings indicate that sorghum is sensitive to waterlogging at the five-leaf stage and JZ31 is more sensitive to waterlogging than JN01, which may provide a basis for selecting genotypes and management measures to cope with waterlogging in sorghum.