Arid Zone Research ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (6): 1683-1694.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2021.06.20

• Plant and Plant Physiology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Physiological responses of plants to drought stress in the Northern Piedmont, Tianshan Mountains

TANG Dong1,2(),CHENG Ping3,YANG Jianjun1,2(),LI Hong3,SUN Jianwen4,WANG Kai4   

  1. 1. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, Xinjiang, China
    2. Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology Ministry of Education, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, Xinjiang, China
    3. Xinjiang Academy of Forestry Sciences, Urumqi 830018, Xinjiang, China
    4. College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2021-01-29 Revised:2021-04-21 Online:2021-11-15 Published:2021-11-29
  • Contact: Jianjun YANG E-mail:627346905@qq.com;yjjdfly@sina.com

Abstract:

We screened suitable plant species for vegetation restoration in the front mountain zone of the Northern Piedmonts of the Tianshan Mountains. Caragana frutex, Hippophae rhamnoides, Rosa, and Xanthoceras sorbifolia. Under two restoration methods of level furrow and fish-scale pit were used as experimental materials to observe irrigation. Following changes in soil moisture, we analyzed relative water content, chlorophyll, protective enzyme activity, and osmotic adjustment of the four plants under changing soil moisture and evaluated their drought resistance. The results showed decreasing soil moisture, relative leaf water content, and chlorophyll content were significantly reduced, while chlorophyll content of the four plant species in the fish-scale pit decreased faster than level furrow treatment. SOD and POD enzyme activity content of the four plants initially increased, then decreased and returned to initial levels following intense water stress. However, the time to reach its peak differed. Soluble protein, malondialdehyde, and proline content of the four plants all varied in their upward trend with increasing water stress, which were all significant. The comprehensive evaluation of drought resistance of seven physiological indicators for four plants using principal component analysis showed that level furrow is more suitable for vegetation restoration and Caragana frutex and Rosa show better drought resistance suitability.

Key words: vegetation restoration, drought resistance, Northern Piedmonts of the Tianshan Mountains, plant physiology, restoration methods, evaluation of drought resistance