Multivariate Assessment of Drought Stress Impacts on Oxidative Stress Indicators and Photosynthetic Pigment Profiles in Edible Pumpkin

Necibe Kayak; Zeliha Atakul; Nursal Koca

doi:10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1782929

TR EN

Kuraklık Stresinin Çerezlik Kabak Çeşitlerinde Oksidatif Stres ve Pigment Profilleri Üzerine Etkilerinin Çok Değişkenli Analizlerle İncelenmesi

Öz

Kuraklık dünyada tarımsal üretimi sınırlandıran en önemli sorunlardan biri olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Değişen yağış rejimlerinin de etkisi ile topraklarda oluşan kuraklık, bitkisel üretimi önemli ölçüde sınırlandırmaktadır. Kuraklık stresi toprakta kullanılabilir suyun azalması, suyun transpirasyon ve evaporasyon sonucu kaybolması ile meydana gelmektedir. Kuraklık nedeniyle birçok tarımsal üründe verim ve kalite kayıpları olmaktadır. Tüm bunlar göz önüne alındığında; bitkilerin önemli bir verim kaybı yaşamadan kurak koşullarda verecekleri tepkilerin ve bu tepkileri oluşturma mekanizmalarının anlaşılması bir zorunluluktur. Bu araştırmada deney materyali olarak, Cucurbita pepo türüne ait çerezlik kabak genotipleri kullanılmıştır. Araştırma da daha önce kuraklığa tepkileri arazi çalışmalarında belirlenen 2 adet kurağa tolerant ve 2 adet kurağa hassas genotip kullanılmıştır. Bu bağlamda kuraklık stresi uygulanan bitkilerde; Malondialdehit (MDA), Hidrojen peroksit (H2O₂), Prolin, Fotosentetik pigmentler (Klorofil a, Klorofil b, Toplam Klorofil ve Karotenoid) analiz edilmiştir. Bulgularımıza göre, kuraklık stresi tüm genotiplerde oksidatif stres belirteçlerinde (MDA, H₂O₂) ve osmoregülator prolin düzeylerinde artışa yol açmış, buna karşılık fotosentetik pigmentlerde (klorofil a, klorofil b, karotenoid ve toplam klorofil) azalışlar meydana gelmiştir. Özellikle Ç3 genotipinde yüksek MDA birikimi ve Ç1’de yüksek H₂O₂ düzeyleri, bu genotiplerin kuraklığa karşı daha hassas olduğunu göstermektedir. Buna karşın Ç2 ve Ç4 genotipleri daha düşük oksidatif hasar seviyeleri ile kuraklık stresine karşı görece daha toleranslı bulunmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Multivariate Assessment of Drought Stress Impacts on Oxidative Stress Indicators and Photosynthetic Pigment Profiles in Edible Pumpkin

Abstract

Drought is one of the most significant problems limiting agricultural production worldwide. Drought occurring in soils, also influenced by changing rainfall patterns, significantly limits crop production. Drought stress occurs due to reduced soil water availability and water loss through transpiration and evaporation. Drought causes yield and quality losses in many agricultural products. Considering all these factors, it is imperative to understand how plants respond to arid conditions without significant yield loss, and the mechanisms that drive these responses. In this study, edible squash genotypes belonging to the Cucurbita pepo species were used as experimental material. Two drought-tolerant and two drought-sensitive genotypes, whose responses to drought had previously been determined in field studies, were used in the research. In this context, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), proline, and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids) were analyzed in plants subjected to drought stress. According to our findings, drought stress increased oxidative stress markers (MDA, H₂O₂) and proline levels in all genotypes. At the same time, decreases occurred in photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, and total chlorophyll). In particular, high MDA accumulation in genotype Ç3 and high H₂O₂ levels in Ç1 indicate that these genotypes are more sensitive to drought. In contrast, genotypes Ç2 and Ç4 exhibited greater tolerance to drought stress, with lower levels of oxidative damage.

Keywords

Thanks

We would like to thank Prof. Dr. Önder Türkmen and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Musa Seymen for their valuable contributions in providing the pumpkin genotypes used in this study and for their preliminary evaluations under drought stress conditions.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Vegetable Growing and Treatment

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Necibe Kayak ^*
0000-0001-7104-8544
Türkiye

Zeliha Atakul
0000-0003-4187-6212
Türkiye

Nursal Koca
0000-0002-6332-6230
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

February 27, 2026

Publication Date

February 27, 2026

Submission Date

September 12, 2025

Acceptance Date

January 15, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1782929

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA67MY46BT

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Kayak, N., Atakul, Z., & Koca, N. (2026). Multivariate Assessment of Drought Stress Impacts on Oxidative Stress Indicators and Photosynthetic Pigment Profiles in Edible Pumpkin. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım Ve Doğa Dergisi, Advanced Online Publication, 905-914. https://doi.org/10.18016/ksutarimdoga.vi.1782929