The Effects of Drought Stress Intensity and Duration on the Dynamics of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> Seedlings

How drought impacts the allocation of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> remains unclear. In this study, <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> seedlings were subjected to four levels of drought stresses treatment during a 60-day experiment period, including sui...

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Main Authors: Xin Deng, Xin Chen, Tianyu Li, Hang Zhang, Yun Bao, Jingwen Yang, Li Zheng, Ping Lan, Junwen Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/6/980
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author Xin Deng
Xin Chen
Tianyu Li
Hang Zhang
Yun Bao
Jingwen Yang
Li Zheng
Ping Lan
Junwen Wu
author_facet Xin Deng
Xin Chen
Tianyu Li
Hang Zhang
Yun Bao
Jingwen Yang
Li Zheng
Ping Lan
Junwen Wu
author_sort Xin Deng
collection DOAJ
description How drought impacts the allocation of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> remains unclear. In this study, <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> seedlings were subjected to four levels of drought stresses treatment during a 60-day experiment period, including suitable moisture (CK), light drought (LD), moderate drought (MD), and severe drought (SD). NSCs in needles, stems, coarse roots, and fine roots were measured every two weeks. The distribution of NSC in <i>P. yunnanensis</i> seedlings varied with both drought stress intensity and duration, with different organ-specific patterns under increasing drought stress. Before the first 15 days, the intensity of drought stress had no significant effect on needle, stem and coarse root NSC contents, but decreased fine root NSC contents significantly. Between day 30 and 45, drought stress intensity showed no significant effect on NSC content in all organs. However, at 60 d, compared with CK, stem NSC concentrations under MD and SD increased by 47.92% and 48.23%, whereas fine root NSC concentrations decreased by 23.38% under SD conditions. With the extension of the drought duration, coarse root NSC increased while fine root NSC content decreased under SD conditions. Our results highlight the important role played by drought duration in controlling the NSC dynamics. Only fine root NSC decreased at the initial stage, and day 60 emerged as a turning point at which organ-level NSC changes became noticeable. These findings provide great insights into the understanding of organ-specific NSC dynamics under drought stress.
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spelling doaj-art-d5f7d4bbf3d148aabc79eaa836e14ee62025-08-20T01:48:54ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-03-0114698010.3390/plants14060980The Effects of Drought Stress Intensity and Duration on the Dynamics of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> SeedlingsXin Deng0Xin Chen1Tianyu Li2Hang Zhang3Yun Bao4Jingwen Yang5Li Zheng6Ping Lan7Junwen Wu8Yunnan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, ChinaYunnan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, ChinaYunnan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, ChinaYunnan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, ChinaYunnan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, ChinaYunnan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, ChinaYunnan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Kunming 650034, ChinaYunnan Appraisal Center for Ecological and Environmental Engineering, Kunming 650028, ChinaCollege of Forestry, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaHow drought impacts the allocation of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> remains unclear. In this study, <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> seedlings were subjected to four levels of drought stresses treatment during a 60-day experiment period, including suitable moisture (CK), light drought (LD), moderate drought (MD), and severe drought (SD). NSCs in needles, stems, coarse roots, and fine roots were measured every two weeks. The distribution of NSC in <i>P. yunnanensis</i> seedlings varied with both drought stress intensity and duration, with different organ-specific patterns under increasing drought stress. Before the first 15 days, the intensity of drought stress had no significant effect on needle, stem and coarse root NSC contents, but decreased fine root NSC contents significantly. Between day 30 and 45, drought stress intensity showed no significant effect on NSC content in all organs. However, at 60 d, compared with CK, stem NSC concentrations under MD and SD increased by 47.92% and 48.23%, whereas fine root NSC concentrations decreased by 23.38% under SD conditions. With the extension of the drought duration, coarse root NSC increased while fine root NSC content decreased under SD conditions. Our results highlight the important role played by drought duration in controlling the NSC dynamics. Only fine root NSC decreased at the initial stage, and day 60 emerged as a turning point at which organ-level NSC changes became noticeable. These findings provide great insights into the understanding of organ-specific NSC dynamics under drought stress.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/6/980drought stress intensitydrought duration<i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> seedlingsnon-structural carbohydrates
spellingShingle Xin Deng
Xin Chen
Tianyu Li
Hang Zhang
Yun Bao
Jingwen Yang
Li Zheng
Ping Lan
Junwen Wu
The Effects of Drought Stress Intensity and Duration on the Dynamics of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> Seedlings
Plants
drought stress intensity
drought duration
<i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> seedlings
non-structural carbohydrates
title The Effects of Drought Stress Intensity and Duration on the Dynamics of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> Seedlings
title_full The Effects of Drought Stress Intensity and Duration on the Dynamics of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> Seedlings
title_fullStr The Effects of Drought Stress Intensity and Duration on the Dynamics of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> Seedlings
title_full_unstemmed The Effects of Drought Stress Intensity and Duration on the Dynamics of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> Seedlings
title_short The Effects of Drought Stress Intensity and Duration on the Dynamics of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in <i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> Seedlings
title_sort effects of drought stress intensity and duration on the dynamics of nonstructural carbohydrates in i pinus yunnanensis i seedlings
topic drought stress intensity
drought duration
<i>Pinus yunnanensis</i> seedlings
non-structural carbohydrates
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/6/980
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