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Background and aims: Given that environmental factors like atmospheric CO2, temperature, and water availability will likely change simultaneously, it is difficult to make accurate predictions about future crop production. Effects of elevated CO2 or drought on aboveground plant growth are relatively well studied, while effects on the rhizosphere are rarely dealt with. The present work investigates the root exudation pattern of different osmotic protectants such as ions and sugars of two cultivars of barley grown under different water and CO2 levels. Methods: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants were grown in plant containers in climate chambers with an optimal and reduced water supply and two CO2 concentrations (380 and 550 ppm) and harvested at the stem elongation growth stage and when the inflorescences emerged. Results: The responses of root exudation to CO2 enrichment, watering level, and cultivar and their interactions varied with the developmental stage. While K+/Na+ ratio in root exudates remained stable at the stem elongation stage (DC30), it was higher at the booting stage (DC49) in the cv. "Bambina" than in cv. "Golden Promise". At DC30, in general the exudation of sugars, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and their ratio (SUG/DOC) were lower at e[CO2] compared to ambient CO2 at normal watering conditions. Under reduced watering conditions, plants exuded on average 55% more sucrose than under well-watered conditions. The modern cv. BA exuded on average 53% more fructose than the older cv.GP. In contrast, at DC49, sucrose, DOC and SUG/DOC exudation were not affected by any factor. At e[CO2] plants exuded on average 39% less fructose than under ambient CO2. A water and CO2 interaction on glucose exudation was found at this stage. Under reduced water conditions, plants growing at ambient CO2 exuded less glucose but at e[CO2] exuded similar (GP) or even higher (BA) glucose levels than under normal water supply. Although drought and cultivar factors affected the root exudation of barley, the strongest effects in the exudation pattern were caused by CO2. Conclusions: This study presents a non-destructive percolation method for the collection of root exudates which can be used to give an insight into the complex interaction between global warming-associated environmental factors that cause yield losses and changes in crop quality and components of the belowground plant metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Given that environmental factors like atmospheric CO2, temperature, and water availability will likely change simultaneously, it is difficult to make accurate predictions about future crop production. Effects of elevated CO2 or drought on aboveground plant growth are relatively well studied, while effects on the rhizosphere are rarely dealt with. The present work investigates the root exudation pattern of different osmotic protectants such as ions and sugars of two cultivars of barley grown under different water and CO2 levels. Methods: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants were grown in plant containers in climate chambers with an optimal and reduced water supply and two CO2 concentrations (380 and 550 ppm) and harvested at the stem elongation growth stage and when the inflorescences emerged. Results: The responses of root exudation to CO2 enrichment, watering level, and cultivar and their interactions varied with the developmental stage. While K+/Na+ ratio in root exudates remained stable at the stem elongation stage (DC30), it was higher at the booting stage (DC49) in the cv. "Bambina" than in cv. "Golden Promise". At DC30, in general the exudation of sugars, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and their ratio (SUG/DOC) were lower at e[CO2] compared to ambient CO2 at normal watering conditions. Under reduced watering conditions, plants exuded on average 55% more sucrose than under well-watered conditions. The modern cv. BA exuded on average 53% more fructose than the older cv.GP. In contrast, at DC49, sucrose, DOC and SUG/DOC exudation were not affected by any factor. At e[CO2] plants exuded on average 39% less fructose than under ambient CO2. A water and CO2 interaction on glucose exudation was found at this stage. Under reduced water conditions, plants growing at ambient CO2 exuded less glucose but at e[CO2] exuded similar (GP) or even higher (BA) glucose levels than under normal water supply. Although drought and cultivar factors affected the root exudation of barley, the strongest effects in the exudation pattern were caused by CO2. Conclusions: This study presents a non-destructive percolation method for the collection of root exudates which can be used to give an insight into the complex interaction between global warming-associated environmental factors that cause yield losses and changes in crop quality and components of the belowground plant metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising CO2 concentrations associated with drought stress is likely to influence not only aboveground growth, but also belowground plant processes. Little is known about root exudation being influenced by elements of climate change. Therefore, this study wanted to clarify whether barley root exudation responds to drought and CO2 enrichment and whether this reaction differs between an old and a recently released malting barley cultivar. Barley plants were grown in pots filled with sand in controlled climate chambers at ambient (380 ppm) or elevated (550 ppm) atmospheric [ CO2] and a normal or reduced water supply. Root exudation patterns were examined at the stem elongation growth stage and when the inflorescences emerged. At both dates, root exudates were analyzed for different compounds such as total free amino acids, proline, potassium, and some phytohormones. Elevated [ CO2] decreased the concentrations in root exudates of some compounds such as total free amino acids, proline, and abscisic acid. Moreover, reduced water supply increased proline, potassium, electric conductivity, and hormone concentrations. In general, the modern cultivar showed higher concentrations of proline and abscisic acid than the old one, but the cultivars responded differentially under elevated CO2. Plant developmental stage had also an impact on the root exudation patterns of barley. Generally, we observed significant effects of CO2 enrichment, watering levels, and, to a lesser extent, cultivar on root exudation. However, we did not find any mitigation of the adverse effects of drought by elevated CO2. Understanding the multitude of relationships within the rhizosphere is an important aspect that has to be taken into consideration in the context of crop performance and carbon balance under conditions of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the signaling function of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production in senescence in more detail, we manipulated intracellular H2O2 levels in Arabidopsis thaliala (L.) Heynh by using the hydrogen-peroxide-sensitive part of the Escherichia coli transcription regulator OxyR, which was directed to the cytoplasm as well as into the peroxisomes. H2O2 levels were lowered and senescence was delayed in both transgenic lines, but OxyR was found to be more effective in the cytoplasm. To transfer this knowledge to crop plants, we analyzed oilseed rape plants Brassica napus L. cv. Mozart for H2O2 and its scavenging enzymes catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) during leaf and plant development. H2O2 levels were found to increase during bolting and flowering time, but no increase could be observed in the very late stages of senescence. With increasing H2O2 levels, CAT and APX activities declined, so it is likely that similar mechanisms are used in oilseed rape and Arabidopsis to control H2O2 levels. Under elevated CO2 conditions, oilseed rape senescence was accelerated and coincided with an earlier increase in H2O2 levels, indicating that H2O2 may be one of the signals to inducing senescence in a broader range of Brassicaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]