Physiological and Proteomic Responses of Sugarcane to Water Deficit Stress: Insights from a Self-Fertilized Clone
Abiotic stresses, particularly water deficit, are major constraints to global agricultural productivity. This study aimed to evaluate physiological and proteomic responses in two sugarcane genotypes, a cross-commercial cultivar and a self-fertilization clone, subjected to water deficit stress in the field. The experiment was conducted under rain-fed conditions. Organic solutes, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, and the quantum efficiency of photosystem II were evaluated. Total protein was extracted using the phenol method, and the peptides were analyzed using mass spectrometry. Elevated proline levels in clone RB061047 suggest a potentially enhanced adaptive response to water-deficit stress. There were no marked differences in the photosynthetic pigments between clone RB061047 and the commercial cultivar, RB867515. Self-fertilization did not negatively affect the physiological performance of RB061047 under water-deficit conditions because the higher photosynthetic rate and the consequent more efficient use of water suggest a marked gain in biomass and productivity. The ATP synthase alpha subunit YABB2 protein, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase, and nucleoside diphosphate kinase 1 emerged as potential candidates for the development of functional molecular markers for the selection and development of new sugarcane cultivars that are more tolerant to water-deficit stress.
Authors
- Francisco Cássio Gomes Alvino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6047-9111)
- Danilo Simões (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8009-2598)
- A. Barbosa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7486-677X)
- Andréa Chaves Fiuza Porto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4515-9627)
- Guilherme Rocha Moreira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6344-1151)
- Diogo Gonçalves Neder (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0164-1056)
- Geisenilma Maria Gonçalves da Rocha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6660-4227)
- Anielson dos Santos Souza (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0145-0989)
- Josimar Mendes de Vasconcelos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7131-1995)
- Fabiana Aparecida Cavalcante Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4674-895X)
- Rômulo Gil de Luna (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8350-5615)
- Marcelo Menossi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9211-3787)
- Leonardo de Sousa Alves
- João de Andrade Dutra Filho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9515-7267)
- Lucas Carvalho de Freitas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2707-5590)
- Cinthya Mirella Pacheco Pacheco Ladislau
- Ancélio Ricardo de Oliveira Gondim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-6833)
- Tercílio Calsa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8302-2031)
- Marcelle Almeida da Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9422-4077)
- Lauter Silva Souto
Institutions
- Universidade Estadual da Paraíba (BR)
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa (BR)
- Sugarcane Research Center (Brazil) (BR)
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (BR)
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (BR)
- Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (BR)
- Center for Strategic Research (RU)
- Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (BR)
- Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (BR)
- Universidade de Pernambuco (BR)
- Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Published
- 2025-11-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262311571
- Primary Topic
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00