Unveiling the Influence of the Antioxidant System in Eucalyptus Seedlings in the Face of Adequate Water Availability

Abstract

The study of the relationship between water availability, photosynthetic behavior, flavonoid accumulation, and antioxidant response offers new perspectives for enhancing nursery practices, resulting in more vigorous eucalyptus seedlings that are tolerant and have greater potential for field establishment. Under the hypothesis that different eucalyptus genetic materials show contrasting responses to water availability in the soil-plant-atmosphere system, this study aims to evaluate the physiological behavior of clones subjected to different irrigation intervals, with an emphasis on the role of flavonoids as antioxidants in mitigating the effects of water stress. The experimental design was structured in strips containing five eucalyptus clones and irrigation with different watering intervals: 1, 2, 4, and 8 days. Evaluations of net photosynthesis, transpiration, and instantaneous water use efficiency were performed. In addition to the physiological assessments, the flavonoids daidzein, genistein, and genistin were determined. Clones C1, C2, and C3 excelled in photosynthesis and transpiration at 2- and 4-day intervals, while C1 and C2 maintained superior performance even at an 8-day interval. WUE was highest in C5 and increased with water stress, showing a quadratic fit in all clones. Regarding flavonoid production, C1 and C3 showed greater daidzein accumulation, with a quadratic response to the withdrawal interval. Genistein showed a linear reduction only in C2, while genistein increased in C1, peaking around 11 days. Eucalyptus clones exhibit distinct physiological and biochemical responses to variations in irrigation intervals. More frequent irrigation favors photosynthetic activity and transpiration, particularly in clones C1, C2, and C3, whereas longer irrigation intervals reduce these processes but enhance water use efficiency, especially in C5.