Physiological and Antioxidant Response to Different Water Deficit Regimes of Flag Leaves and Ears of Wheat Grown under Combined Elevated CO2 and High Temperature

Triticum aestivum L. cv. Gazul is a spring wheat widely cultivated in Castilla y Leon (Spain). Potted plants were grown in a scenario emulating the climate change environmental conditions expected by the end of this century, i.e., with elevated CO2 and high temperature under two water deficit regimes: long (LWD) and terminal (TWD). Changes in biomass and morphology, the content of proline (Pro), ascorbate (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), and enzymatic antioxidant activities were analyzed in flag leaves and ears. Additionally, leaf gas exchange was measured. LWD caused a decrease in biomass and AsA content but an increase in Pro content and catalase and GSH reductase activities in flag leaves, whereas TWD produced no significant changes. Photosynthesis was enhanced under both water deficit regimes. Increase in superoxide dismutase activity and Pro content was only observed in ears under TWD. The lack of a more acute effect of LWD and TWD on both organs was attributed to the ROS relieving effect of elevated CO2. Gazul acted as a drought tolerant variety with anisohydric behavior. A multifactorial analysis showed better adaptation of ears to water deficit than flag leaves, underlining the importance of this finding for breeding programs to improve grain yield under future climate change.