Gene expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) under controlled severe drought

The objective of the present study was to determine the activity of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT) and the expression of their genes in two barley genotypes under controlled severe drought. To fulfill this objective, 21-day-old barley plants of two genotypes: Rum and Yarmouk were exposed to controlled severe drought (25% field capacity) for 2, 9, and 16 days. The activity of SOD was significantly high in Rum genotype after 2 days of drought treatment. In Yarmouk genotype, the activity of APX was significantly high after 2 and 9 days of drought treatment. In Rum genotype, CAT2 was upregulated after 9 days of drought treatment and SOD and APX were upregulated after 16 days of drought treatment, whereas CAT2, SOD, and APX were upregulated in Yarmouk genotype after 2 days of drought treatment. The results indicate a unique pattern of activity and gene expression of the antioxidant enzymes in the two barley genotypes under controlled severe droug...