Lipid peroxidation and changes in the activity of superoxide dismutase caused by water deficit in basil (Ocium basilicum L.) and savory (Satureja hortensis L.)

SummaryTwo aromatic species (Ocimum basilicum L. and Satureja hortensis L.) with different water requirements were submitted to varying water supply, as characterised by different soil water capacities [SWC; control (C), 70% SWC; Stress 1 (S1), 50% SWC; and Stress 2 (S2), 30% SWC] in a growth chamber. The effect of water deficit on the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation (LPO), and on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were evaluated at three phenological phases (before flowering, at full-flowering, and after flowering) in both plant species. The results revealed that MDA contents were significantly higher in savory than in basil. However, significant increases in MDA contents, as a consequence of changes in the water supply, were detected only in basil (by 23% and 49% in S1 and S2, respectively). In contrast, SOD activities in control plants showed similar values in both species. Elevated SOD activities were detected in basil and in savory as a reaction to water deficit s...