Photosynthesis, respiration and antioxidant enzymes in pepper leaves under drought and heat stresses

Leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and activities of antioxidant enzymes were studied in two pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars grown under drought (D) and heat (H), as well as under drought and heat in combination (HD). The drought-tolerant cv. Zhengjiao 13 exhibited greater net photosynthetic rate (P_N) and cytochrome respiratory pathway activity (R_SHAM), and lower contents of superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide, as compared to the drought-sensitive cv. Longkouzaojiao. The P_N and R_SHAM decreased and ROS production increased under D and HD in both cultivars. As compared to the Longkouzaojiao, Zhengjiao 13 retained higher non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), photorespiration rate (R_L), and alternative respiratory pathways (R_KCN) under D and HD. Drought increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities in the cytosol, chloroplasts and mitochondria in the two cultivars. Although SOD and APX activities decreased in Longkouzaojiao under HD, SOD activity increased in Zhengjiao 13. There was no H-induced reactive oxygen species production due to increase of R_L, NPQ, R_SHAM, R_KCN and activities of SOD and APX. However, H slightly decreased the P_N. The results indicated that HD was more detrimental than either stress alone.     

Improvement of heat and drought photosynthetic tolerance in wheat by overaccumulation of glycinebetaine

Within their natural habitat, crops are often subjected to drought and heat stress, which suppress crop growth and decrease crop production. Causing overaccumulation of glycinebetaine (GB) has been used to enhance the crop yield under stress. Here, we investigated the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) photosynthesis to drought, heat stress and their combination with a transgenic wheat line (T6) overaccumulating GB and its wild-type (WT) Shi4185. Drought stress (DS) was imposed by controlling irrigation until the relative water content (RWC) of the flag leaves decreased to between 78 and 82%. Heat stress (HS) was applied by exposing wheat plants to 40°C for 4 h. A combination of drought and heat stress was applied by subjecting the drought-stressed plants to a heat stress as above. The results indicated that all stresses decreased photosynthesis, but the combination of drought and heat stress exacerbated the negative effects on photosynthesis more than exposure to drought or heat stress alone. Drought stress decreased the transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs) and intercellular CO₂ concentration (Ci), while heat stress increased all of these; the deprivation of water was greater under drought stress than heat stress, but heat stress decreased the antioxidant enzyme activity to a greater extent. Overaccumulated GB could alleviate the decrease of photosynthesis caused by all stresses tested. These suggest that GB induces an increase of osmotic adjustments for drought tolerance, while its improvement of the antioxidative defense system including antioxidative enzymes and antioxidants may be more important for heat tolerance.     

Salicylic Acid Application Mitigates Oxidative Damage and Improves the Growth Performance of Barley under Drought Stress

Drought is a severe environmental constraint, causing a significant reduction in crop productivity across the world. Salicylic acid (SA) is an important plant growth regulator that helps plants cope with the adverse effects induced by various abiotic stresses. The current study investigated the potential effects of SA on drought tolerance efficacy in two barley (Hordeum vulgare) genotypes, namely BARI barley 5 and BARI barley 7. Ten-day-old barley seedlings were exposed to drought stress by maintaining 7.5% soil moisture content in the absence or presence of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mM SA. Drought exposure led to severe damage to both genotypes, as indicated by phenotypic aberrations and reduction of dry biomass. On the other hand, the application of SA to drought-stressed plants protected both barley genotypes from the adverse effects of drought, which was reflected in the improvement of phenotypes and biomass production. SA supplementation improved relative water content and proline levels in drought-stressed barley genotypes, indicating the osmotic adjustment functions of SA under water-deficit conditions. Drought stress induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide (O₂ ^•− ), and the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) in the leaves of barley plants. Exogenous supply of SA reduced oxidative damage by restricting the accumulation of ROS through the stimulation of the activities of key antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). Among the three-applied concentrations of SA, 0.5 mM SA exhibited better mitigating effects against drought stress considering the phenotypic performance and biochemical data. Furthermore, BARI barley 5 showed better performance under drought stress than BARI barley 7 in the presence of SA application. Collectively, our results suggest that SA played a crucial role in improving water status and antioxidant defense strategy to protect barley plants from the deleterious effects of water deficiency.     

高温干旱对不同品种辣椒生长及呼吸作用的影响

研究了高温干旱胁迫对不同品种辣椒生长及呼吸作用的影响。结果表明,高温胁迫对正椒13号的生长无影响,对鸡爪×吉林的生长稍有抑制;干旱及高温干旱严重地抑制了辣椒的生长。干旱导致叶片相对电导率的增加高于高温,而高温加剧了干旱伤害程度,并且对鸡爪×吉林的伤害更大。高温处理引起了辣椒总呼吸、细胞色素呼吸和交替呼吸的增加。干旱胁迫抑制了细胞色素呼吸,但诱导了交替呼吸的增强;高温干旱共同胁迫加剧了总呼吸和细胞色素呼吸的下降,交替呼吸只在胁迫第一天被促进,随后立即下降。高温、干旱和高温干旱胁迫下正椒13号表现出了较鸡爪×吉林更强的交替呼吸和总呼吸。说明高温、干旱和高温干旱胁迫下辣椒保持较高的总呼吸和交替呼吸与其抗高温和/或干旱能力相关。     

Exogenous glycine betaine and proline play a protective role in heat-stressed barley leaves (Hordeum vulgare L.): A chlorophyll a fluorescence study

Abstract

Effects of drought and exogenous glycine betaine and proline on Photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry were studied in barley leaves under heat stress induced by exposing them to 45°C for 10 min. Polyphasic fluorescence transient (OJIP) was used to evaluate PSII photochemistry in leaves treated with either glycine betaine or proline, combined or not with heat treatment. A distinct K step in the fluorescence transient OJIP appeared in control leaves, indicating an inactivation of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC). Drought stress and exogenous glycine betaine and proline modified the shape of the OJIP curve of leaves heated at 45°C and the K step was not as pronounced. Increased thermostability of PSII may be associated with the resistance of OEC and increased energy connectivity between PSII units. The thermostability of PSII was also reflected by a lower decrease in maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry (?_Po = F _V/F _M) and performance index (PI). Exogenous application of glycine betaine or proline can play an important role in enhancing plant stress tolerance and may help reduce effects of environmental stresses.     

Time‐course analysis of salicylic acid effects on ROS regulation and antioxidant defense in roots of hulled and hulless barley under combined stress of drought,heat and salinity

Greater crop losses can result from simultaneous exposure to a combination of drought, heat and salinity in the field. Salicylic acid (SA), a phenolic phytohormone, can affect a range of physiological and biochemical processes in plants and significantly impacts their resistance to these abiotic stresses. Despite numerous reports involving the positive effects of SA by applying each abiotic stress separately, the mechanism of SA‐mediated adaptation to combined stresses remains elusive. This study, via a time‐course analysis, investigated the role of SA on the roots of hulled and hulless (naked) barley (Hordeum vulgare L. ‘Tarm’ and ‘Özen’, respectively), which differed in salt tolerance, under the combined stress of drought, heat and salt. The combined stress caused marked reductions in root length and increases in proline content in both genotypes; however, Tarm exhibited better adaptation to the triple stress. Under the first 24 h of stress, superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC.1.15.1.1) and peroxidase (POX; EC.1.11.1.7) activity in the Tarm roots increased remarkably, while decreasing in the Özen roots. Furthermore, the Tarm roots showed higher catalase (CAT; EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (APX; EC 1.11.1.11) and glutathione reductase (GR; EC 1.6.4.2) activity than the Özen during the combined stresses. The sensitivity of hulless barley roots may be related to decreasing SOD, POX, CAT and GR activity under stress. Over 72 h of stress, the SA pretreatment improved the APX and GR activity in Tarm and that of POX and CAT in Özen, demonstrating that exogenously applied SA regulates antioxidant defense enzymes in order to detoxify reactive oxygen species. The results of this study suggest that SA treatment may improve the triple‐stress combination tolerance in hulled and hulless barley cultivars by increasing the level of antioxidant enzyme activity and promoting the accumulation of proline. Thus, SA alleviated the damaging effects of the triple stress by improving the antioxidant system, although these effects differed depending on characteristic of the hull of the grain.     

Antimicrobial cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, induces superoxide stress in Escherichia coli cells

Aims: To clarify whether an antibacterial surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), induces superoxide stress in bacteria, we investigated the generation of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide and expression of soxR, soxS and soxRS regulon genes in Escherichia coli cells with the treatment of CTAB. Methods and Results: In situ oxidative stress analyses with BES fluorescent probes revealed that generation of both superoxide and hydrogen peroxide were significantly increased with the CTAB treatment at a sublethal concentration in wild‐type strain OW6, compared with the CTAB‐resistant strain OW66. The activity of manganese–superoxide dismutase (Mn–SOD), a member of the soxRS regulon proteins, was decreased by the CTAB treatment only in strain OW6. Furthermore, quantitative real‐time PCR analyses revealed that expression of the soxRS regulon genes was not upregulated, although soxS was upregulated by the CTAB treatment in strain OW6. Conclusions: Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide treatment led E. coli cells to a generation state of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. It was also suggested that superoxide generation was caused by inhibiting SoxS function and decreasing Mn–SOD activity. Significance and Impact of the Study: It was revealed that excess superoxide generation in bacterial cells play a key action of antibacterial surfactants.     

高温干旱复合胁迫对构树幼苗抗氧化酶活性和活性氧代谢的影响

近年来,全球气温不断升高,亚热带部分地区夏季高温和临时性干旱现象日益显著,高温与干旱严重威胁着植物的生存与生长。采用盆栽和人工气候室方式模拟不同的温度和土壤水分梯度,研究了高温与干旱复合胁迫对构树幼苗超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)与过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性、活性氧代谢和丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响。结果表明:(1)高温或干旱单一胁迫下,构树幼苗SOD、POD、CAT活性增加,复合胁迫下,SOD和POD酶活性高于单一胁迫,且随着复合胁迫时间延长而升高。SOD活性受温度和土壤水分双因素影响极其显著,复合胁迫对SOD活性有一定程度的叠加效应;(2)复合胁迫下,活性氧代谢物与MDA含量均显著高于单一胁迫,表明复合胁迫加剧对植物的伤害。通过改变抗氧化酶活性以减轻膜脂过氧化的伤害作用是有限的。     

不同沙地共有种沙生植物对环境的生理适应机理

选择3个温带沙地(松嫩沙地、呼伦贝尔沙地、科尔沁沙地)4个共有种沙生植物(黄柳(Salix gordejevii)、差巴嘎蒿(Artimisia halodendron)、扁蓿豆(Melissitus ruthenica),猪毛菜(Salsola collina),通过自然状况下其叶片抗氧化酶活力和渗透调节物及丙二醛(MDA)含量日变化分析,探讨抗氧化酶活力和渗透调节物在沙生植物适应沙漠环境强光辐射和温度日变化中的作用,以及不同科属沙生植物抗逆生理调控机理的差异。结果表明:(1)不同沙地的4个共有沙生植物种可通过自身快速生理代谢调解,积累渗透调节物、提高抗氧化酶活力应对沙漠环境强光辐射和温度日变化,但生理调控幅度较小。(2)3个沙地不同科属的4个共有种在渗透调节物含量和抗氧化酶活力及种类上存在差异。扁蓿豆叶片日均MDA含量、POD(peroxidase)活力、CAT(catalase)活力、脯氨酸含量均最高,分别较其它3个种平均高2、10、2和2.5倍。黄柳叶片日均MDA含量较高,SOD(superoxide dismutase)活力和可溶性糖含量最高,分别较其它3个种高1.2和3倍。差巴嘎蒿和猪毛菜叶内MDA含量较低,POD、CAT、SOD活力和脯氨酸、可溶性糖含量均最低。沙生植物细胞中膜脂过氧化程度和抗氧化酶活力及渗透调节物含量呈正相关。自然状况下3个沙地的扁蓿豆和黄柳通过生理代谢调节维持细胞水分和氧自由基代谢平衡适应沙漠环境,差巴嘎蒿和猪毛菜依靠特殊的叶片形态结构变异减少光辐射吸收、降低水分蒸腾、维持叶片水分平衡、降低细胞膜脂过氧化。因此不同科属沙生植物维持叶片水分和氧自由基代谢平衡可能是其适应沙漠环境生存的重要生理调控机理。由于不同科属沙生植物种对沙漠环境适应的生理调节机理的不同,在未来农作物、林木抗逆育种中,根据具体科属植物选择合适的沙生植物作为亲本对提高抗逆育种效率是十分重要的。     

Modification of reactive oxygen species scavenging capacity of chloroplasts through plastid transformation

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals are generated through normal biochemical processes, but their production is increased by abiotic stresses. The prospects for enhancing ROS scavenging, and hence stress tolerance, by direct gene expression in a vulnerable cell compartment, the chloroplast, have been explored in tobacco. Several plastid transformants were generated which contained either a Nicotiana mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) or an Escherichia coli glutathione reductase (gor) gene. MnSOD lines had a three-fold increase in MnSOD activity, but interestingly a five to nine-fold increase in total chloroplast SOD activity. Gor transgenic lines had up to 6 times higher GR activity and up to 8 times total glutathione levels compared to wild type tobacco. Photosynthetic capacity of transplastomic plants, as measured by chlorophyll content and variable fluorescence of PSII was equivalent to non-transformed plants. The response of these transplastomic lines to several applied stresses was examined. In a number of cases improved stress tolerance was observed. Examples include enhanced methyl viologen (Paraquat)-induced oxidative stress tolerance in Mn-superoxidase dismutase over-expressing plants, improved heavy metal tolerance in glutathione reductase expressing lines, and improved tolerance to UV-B radiation in both sets of plants.     

Effects of Iso-osmotic Concentrations of NaCl and Mannitol on some Metabolic Activity in Calluses of Two Salicornia species

The comparative effects of salinity and drought on activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and contents of protein, proline, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde (MDA), and carotenoids were studied in calluses of Salicornia persica and Salicornia europaea. Calluses were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS medium) containing iso-osmotic concentrations of NaCl (100, 300, and 600 mM) and mannitol (200, 500, and 1000 mM). Proline content increased in calluses of both species under NaCl- and mannitol-induced stresses. Under both stresses, S. persica accumulated higher amounts of protein as compared to S. europaea. Under both stresses, protein content in S. persica decreased in comparison to control. Antioxidant enzyme activities showed different trends in the two Salicornia species under salt and drought stresses but were higher in S. europaea than in S. persica. Changes of hydrogen peroxide and MDA contents of calluses subjected to salt stress followed a pattern different from that observed under drought stress. MDA content showed similar changes to hydrogen peroxide content. Carotenoid content decreased in both species under both stresses. Overall, at the cellular level, S. europaea calluses were more tolerant to both NaCl- and mannitol-induced stresses than calluses of S. persica.     

Protective effect of a natural ally on simultaneous mild heat and salt episodes in maize seedlings

Abiotic stresses occur together in several combinations in nature and do not usually act alone. However, studies on plants mainly are limited to a single stress type. Yet, atmospheric trends make it indispensable to expand approaches to investigate physiological consequences under multiple abiotic stresses. The potential of Melatonin (Mel) hydropriming on photosynthetic machinery and antioxidant system was investigated in this study. Mel hydropriming (0.1 mmol/mL) resulted in leaf photochemistry protection, which is characterized by maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, photosynthetic pigments intactness, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes activation accompanying depressed levels of endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and membrane oxidation in maize seedlings at early vegetative stage under combination of 150 mM NaCl and 37?±?3 °C mild heat. Mimicking nature by combining stresses is more realistic to study abiotic stress responses. High antioxidant capacity of melatonin can serve as a hydropriming substance to withstand simultaneous heat and salt stress.     

旱-盐复合胁迫对玉米种子萌发和生理特性的影响

分别用15% PEG、100 mmol·L^-1 NaCl及其混合溶液模拟干旱(D)、盐(S)及旱-盐复合胁迫(D+S)对玉米种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响.结果表明: 3种胁迫处理均明显抑制了种子萌发、幼芽、幼根的伸长及生物量的积累,且影响程度为D>D+S>S;幼芽及幼根中过氧化氢(H₂O₂)、超氧阴离子(O^-·₂)等活性氧含量及丙二醛(MDA)含量明显升高,质膜相对透性增大,脯氨酸、可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白等生理渗透调节物质含量显著增加,且幼芽中含量高于幼根,积累程度均为D>D+S>S.3种胁迫处理均使幼芽、幼根中的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)及抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX) 等抗氧化酶活性增强;其中,SOD和APX活性表现为复合胁迫介于单一胁迫之间,而POD和CAT活性表现为复合胁迫大于单一胁迫;说明旱-盐复合逆境胁迫对玉米种子萌发及幼苗生理特性的影响并不是单一胁迫的简单叠加,与单一干旱胁迫相比,旱-盐复合胁迫在一定程度上能够缓解干旱胁迫对玉米种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响.     

Differential responses of stress proteins, antioxidant enzymes, and photosynthetic efficiency to physiological stresses in the Florida red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis

This study identifies stress proteins and antioxidant enzymes that may play a role in the survival strategies of the Florida red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis. Heat shock protein 60 (Hsp 60), mitochondrial small heat shock protein (mitosHsp), chloroplastic small heat shock protein (chlsHsp), Mn superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Fe SOD were first identified by Western blotting. The induction of these proteins in laboratory cultures in response to elevated temperatures, hydrogen peroxide, lead, or elevated light intensities was next assessed. In parallel, F(V)/F(M), a measurement of photosynthetic efficiency and common proxy of cellular stress, was determined. Hsp 60, Fe SOD, and Mn SOD were induced following exposure to elevated temperatures, hydrogen peroxide, or lead. MitosHsp responded only to heat, whereas chlsHsp responded only to H(2)O(2)-induced stress. The expression of stress proteins and antioxidant enzymes appears to be a more sensitive indicator of heat or chemically induced stresses than F(V)/F(M). However, F(V)/F(M) decreased significantly in response to elevated light intensities that did not induce the expression of stress proteins. These results identify for the first time stress proteins and antioxidant enzymes in K. brevis, provide evidence for differential sensitivity of cellular organelles to various sources of stress, and confirm the presence of conserved stress responses observed across phyla in a dinoflagellate.     

Damage to the oxygen-evolving complex by superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radical in photoinhibition of photosystem II

Under strong illumination of a photosystem II (PSII) membrane, endogenous superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radical were successively produced. These compounds then cooperatively resulted in a release of manganese from the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) and an inhibition of oxygen evolution activity. The OEC inactivation was initiated by an acceptor-side generated superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide was most probably responsible for the transportation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) across the PSII membrane from the acceptor-side to the donor-side. Besides ROS being generated in the acceptor-side induced manganese loss; there may also be a ROS-independent manganese loss in the OEC of PSII. Both superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical located inside the PSII membrane were directly identified by a spin trapping-electron spin resonance (ESR) method in combination with a lipophilic spin trap, 5-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-5-phenethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DEPPEPO). The endogenous hydrogen peroxide production was examined by oxidation of thiobenzamide.     

Forest understory plant and soil microbial response to an experimentally induced drought and heat‐pulse event: the importance of maintaining the continuum

Drought duration and intensity are expected to increase with global climate change. How changes in water availability and temperature affect the combined plant–soil–microorganism response remains uncertain. We excavated soil monoliths from a beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest, thus keeping the understory plant–microbe communities intact, imposed an extreme climate event, consisting of drought and/or a single heat‐pulse event, and followed microbial community dynamics over a time period of 28 days. During the treatment, we labeled the canopy with ¹³CO₂ with the goal of (i) determining the strength of plant–microbe carbon linkages under control, drought, heat and heat–drought treatments and (ii) characterizing microbial groups that are tightly linked to the plant–soil carbon continuum based on ¹³C‐labeled PLFAs. Additionally, we used 16S rRNA sequencing of bacteria from the Ah horizon to determine the short‐term changes in the active microbial community. The treatments did not sever within‐plant transport over the experiment, and carbon sinks belowground were still active. Based on the relative distribution of labeled carbon to roots and microbial PLFAs, we determined that soil microbes appear to have a stronger carbon sink strength during environmental stress. High‐throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA revealed multiple trajectories in microbial community shifts within the different treatments. Heat in combination with drought had a clear negative effect on microbial diversity and resulted in a distinct shift in the microbial community structure that also corresponded to the lowest level of label found in the PLFAs. Hence, the strongest changes in microbial abundances occurred in the heat–drought treatment where plants were most severely affected. Our study suggests that many of the shifts in the microbial communities that we might expect from extreme environmental stress will result from the plant–soil–microbial dynamics rather than from direct effects of drought and heat on soil microbes alone.     

Influence of NaCl and mannitol on peroxidase activity and lipid peroxidation in Centaurea ragusina L. roots and shoots

Centaurea ragusina L. is a Croatian endemic plant species growing on cliffs above the Adriatic Sea, but there is no information about its physiological behavior or stress tolerance. To investigate the response of C. ragusina plants to salinity and drought, we have analysed soluble peroxidase (POD; EC 1.11.1.7) activity, anionic isoperoxidase pattern, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide in C. ragusina plants exposed to these stresses. Rooted plantlets grown on MS 1/2 nutrient medium supplemented with mannitol (300 mM) and different concentrations of NaCl (150, 300, 450 or 600 mM) were harvested after 5, 10 and 15 days. Both osmotic treatments significantly increased MDA and hydrogen peroxide contents in C. ragusina shoots after 10 days of stress, while in roots these parameters showed no significant difference compared to control in overall. POD activity of salt-stressed plants changed with respect to different saline treatments and plant organs - in shoots enzymatic activity markedly increased in response to lower saline treatments, especially 300 mM NaCl; otherwise it was similar as in control plants while in roots of plants grown under 450 and 600 mM NaCl it significantly decreased. Drought increased POD activity of both shoots and roots especially after 10 days of experiment. Generally, change in the POD isoenzyme pattern of treated plants was in accordance with the activity change in time. Several POD isoforms (P3, P4 and P9) were specifically induced by salinity and drought.     

Comparative effect of water, heat and light stresses on photosynthetic reactions in Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench

Five varieties of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench., differing in their drought tolerance under field conditions have been used to study the effect of individual components of drought stress, namely high light intensity stress, heat stress and water stress, on their photosynthetic performance. Chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco, EC 4.1.1.39) content, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPcase, EC 4.1.1.31) activity and photo-synthetic oxygen evolution were used as key parameters to assess photosynthetic performance. The results indicated that photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) was severely reduced by all three stress components, whereas PEPcase activity was more specifically reduced by water stress. Degradation of Rubisco and chlorophyll loss occurred under high light and water stress conditions. Of the four drought-tolerant varieties, E 36-1 showed higher PEPcase activity, Rubisco content and photochemical efficiency of PSII, and was able to sustain a higher maximal rate of photosynthetic oxygen evolution under each stress condition as compared to the other varieties. A high stability to stress-induced damage, or acclimation of photosynthesis to the individual components of drought stress may contribute to the high yields of E 36-1 under drought conditions. In the E 36-1 variety markedly higher levels of the chloroplastic chaperonin 60 (cpn 60) were observed under all stress conditions than in the susceptible variety CSV 5.Key words: Chlorophyll fluorescence, drought stress, oxygen evolution, phosphoenopyruvate carboxylase, Sorghum.