Water Pumping Activity of the Root System in the Process of Cross-Adaptation of Sunflower Plants to Hyperthermia and Water Deficiency

To elucidate the mechanisms of cross-adaptation, we investigated the effect of heat shock (HS, for 2 h at 45°C) on leaf tolerance to overheating and exudation by roots detached from 25–30-day old sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants. It was demonstrated that preheating enhanced considerably leaf tolerance and activated root exudation, especially under water deficiency produced by plant transfer to the hypertonic NaCl solution (17 mM). Under water deficiency conditions, the roots of HS-treated plants pumped water against the osmotic pressure (OP) gradient between the exudate and the external solution. Therefore, we concluded that this pumping was realized due to a metabolic (non-osmotic) constituent of root pressure. In the roots of plants that were not treated with HS, the OP gradient became positive. This fact implies that the HS-pretreatment of plants retarded the penetration of sodium and chlorine ions into roots. The data obtained demonstrate that HS induced a cross-adaptation of plants to high temperature and water deficiency. Such cross-adaptation involves, as an important component, an acceleration of water metabolism, including an enhanced water pumping activity of root system.