Time course of antioxidant responses of Capsicum annuum subjected to a progressive magnesium deficiency

The effect of magnesium (Mg2+)-deficiency on the antioxidant responses of Capsicum annuum was investigated over a 60-day period under controlled conditions. This Mg2+-deficiency aimed to mimic the physiological conditions that plants may experience in the field. At each harvest time, five different leaf-levels (L2 to L6) were distinguished. L2 and L6 correspond to the second and sixth youngest leaves, respectively. The following parameters were determined: Mg2+, chlorophyll and protein contents, total and redox pools of ascorbate and glutathione, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase. Under Mg2+-deficiency, leaf Mg2+ contents decreased over time in all leaf-levels except in the second youngest leaves (L2), where they remained constant at about 0.25% (dry weight basis). Mg2+-deficiency led to an increase in the antioxidant enzyme activities concomitant with an increase in the ascorbate and glutathione pools, whereas total chlorophyll and soluble protein contents decreased. The L2 leaves showed an increase in glutathione reductase activity and in the ascorbate redox state whereas no difference was observed for the other parameters. Superoxide dismutase activities increased in L5 leaves from day 15 and, afterwards, in L3 to L5 leaves, irrespective of Mg2+ content. At day 30, glutathione reductase activities increased in L2 to L4 leaves and dehydroascorbate reductase activities in L4 leaves. At day 45, we observed an increase in the ascorbate peroxidase activities in L3 to L5 leaves. At the same time, ascorbate and glutathione pools increased in intermediate leaves, whereas chlorophyll content decreased in L3 and L4 leaves, and protein content decreased in L4 leaves. Results suggest that pepper leaves enhance their defence capacities against oxidative stress by increasing ascorbate more than glutathione synthesis. However, cells showed higher regeneration rates for the glutathione redox state than for the ascorbate redox state.