Different Heat Tolerance of Two Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars Related to Altered Accumulation of Organic Metabolites

High-temperature stress is one of the main limiting factors for the cultivation and management of cool-season creeping bentgrass (<i>Agrostis stolonifera</i>). The objectives of the current study were to compare physiological changes in heat-tolerant PROVIDENCE and heat-sensitive PENNEAG...

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Main Authors: Yong Du, Yue Zhao, Zhou Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1544
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author Yong Du
Yue Zhao
Zhou Li
author_facet Yong Du
Yue Zhao
Zhou Li
author_sort Yong Du
collection DOAJ
description High-temperature stress is one of the main limiting factors for the cultivation and management of cool-season creeping bentgrass (<i>Agrostis stolonifera</i>). The objectives of the current study were to compare physiological changes in heat-tolerant PROVIDENCE and heat-sensitive PENNEAGLE and further identify differential organic metabolites associated with thermotolerance in leaves. Two cultivars were cultivated under optimal conditions (23/19 °C) and high-temperature stress (38/33 °C) for 15 days. Heat stress significantly reduced leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, and photochemical efficiency, and also resulted in severe oxidative damage to PROVIDENCE and PENNEAGLE. Heat-tolerant PROVIDENCE exhibited 10% less water deficit, 11% lower chlorophyll loss, and significantly lower oxidative damage as well as better cell membrane stability compared with PENNEAGLE under heat stress. Metabolomic analysis further found that PROVIDENCE accumulated more sugars (fructose, tagatose, lyxose, ribose, and 6-deoxy-D-glucose), amino acids (norleucine, allothreonine, and glycine), and other metabolites (lactic acid, ribitol, arabitol, and arbutin) than PENNEAGLE. These metabolites play positive roles in energy supply, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant, and membrane stability. Heat stress significantly decreased the accumulation of tricarboxylic acid cycle-related organic acids in two cultivars, resulting in a metabolic deficit for energy production. However, both PROVIDENCE and PENNEAGLE significantly up-regulated the accumulation of stigmasterol related to the stability of cell membrane systems under heat stress. The current findings provide a better understanding of differential thermotolerance in cool-season turfgrass species. In addition, the data can also be utilized in breeding programs to improve the heat tolerance of other grass species. However, the current study only focused on physiological and metabolic responses to heat stress between two genotypes. It would be better to utilize molecular techniques in future studies to better understand and validate differential heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass species.
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spelling doaj-art-cd4f36df66a04b28a9bb9ed2486a0eac2025-08-20T03:13:42ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-06-01157154410.3390/agronomy15071544Different Heat Tolerance of Two Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars Related to Altered Accumulation of Organic MetabolitesYong Du0Yue Zhao1Zhou Li2Department of Turf Science and Engineering, College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaDepartment of Turf Science and Engineering, College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaDepartment of Turf Science and Engineering, College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaHigh-temperature stress is one of the main limiting factors for the cultivation and management of cool-season creeping bentgrass (<i>Agrostis stolonifera</i>). The objectives of the current study were to compare physiological changes in heat-tolerant PROVIDENCE and heat-sensitive PENNEAGLE and further identify differential organic metabolites associated with thermotolerance in leaves. Two cultivars were cultivated under optimal conditions (23/19 °C) and high-temperature stress (38/33 °C) for 15 days. Heat stress significantly reduced leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, and photochemical efficiency, and also resulted in severe oxidative damage to PROVIDENCE and PENNEAGLE. Heat-tolerant PROVIDENCE exhibited 10% less water deficit, 11% lower chlorophyll loss, and significantly lower oxidative damage as well as better cell membrane stability compared with PENNEAGLE under heat stress. Metabolomic analysis further found that PROVIDENCE accumulated more sugars (fructose, tagatose, lyxose, ribose, and 6-deoxy-D-glucose), amino acids (norleucine, allothreonine, and glycine), and other metabolites (lactic acid, ribitol, arabitol, and arbutin) than PENNEAGLE. These metabolites play positive roles in energy supply, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant, and membrane stability. Heat stress significantly decreased the accumulation of tricarboxylic acid cycle-related organic acids in two cultivars, resulting in a metabolic deficit for energy production. However, both PROVIDENCE and PENNEAGLE significantly up-regulated the accumulation of stigmasterol related to the stability of cell membrane systems under heat stress. The current findings provide a better understanding of differential thermotolerance in cool-season turfgrass species. In addition, the data can also be utilized in breeding programs to improve the heat tolerance of other grass species. However, the current study only focused on physiological and metabolic responses to heat stress between two genotypes. It would be better to utilize molecular techniques in future studies to better understand and validate differential heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass species.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1544creeping bentgrassheat stressphysiological responsemetabolomics
spellingShingle Yong Du
Yue Zhao
Zhou Li
Different Heat Tolerance of Two Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars Related to Altered Accumulation of Organic Metabolites
Agronomy
creeping bentgrass
heat stress
physiological response
metabolomics
title Different Heat Tolerance of Two Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars Related to Altered Accumulation of Organic Metabolites
title_full Different Heat Tolerance of Two Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars Related to Altered Accumulation of Organic Metabolites
title_fullStr Different Heat Tolerance of Two Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars Related to Altered Accumulation of Organic Metabolites
title_full_unstemmed Different Heat Tolerance of Two Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars Related to Altered Accumulation of Organic Metabolites
title_short Different Heat Tolerance of Two Creeping Bentgrass Cultivars Related to Altered Accumulation of Organic Metabolites
title_sort different heat tolerance of two creeping bentgrass cultivars related to altered accumulation of organic metabolites
topic creeping bentgrass
heat stress
physiological response
metabolomics
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1544
work_keys_str_mv AT yongdu differentheattoleranceoftwocreepingbentgrasscultivarsrelatedtoalteredaccumulationoforganicmetabolites
AT yuezhao differentheattoleranceoftwocreepingbentgrasscultivarsrelatedtoalteredaccumulationoforganicmetabolites
AT zhouli differentheattoleranceoftwocreepingbentgrasscultivarsrelatedtoalteredaccumulationoforganicmetabolites