In Ctenanthe setosa we studied changes in apoplastic and symplastic sugar, proline, ions and organic acids under drought stress causing leaf rolling. Leaf extractions were made at visually judged leaf rolling stages (not rolled, slightly rolled, strongly rolled, completely rolled). Glucose and sucrose content increased in the symplast. Glucose declined during leaf rolling in the apoplast, and sucrose was not present. Symplastic and apoplastic proline content increased during leaf rolling; citrate increased in both compartments, and malate increased in the symplast but declined in the apoplast. Symplastic and apoplastic K+ declined during rolling. Ca2+ increased at slightly rolled stage but then began to decrease in both compartments. Na+ level increasing in the symplast but decreased in the apoplast. Cl- decreased in both compartments during rolling. Glucose, proline, Na+ and K+ are preferred for osmotic adjustment during leaf rolling under drought.
We studied the relationship of the antioxidant enzyme system to drought stress tolerance during leaf rolling in the leaf, petiole and root of Ctenanthe setosa (Rosc.) Eichler. Chlorophyll and carotenoid content and the chlorophyll stability index decreased in the early period of drought stress but increased in later periods, approaching the control level as leaf rolling increased. Relative water content decreased, while the root:shoot ratio increased during drought stress. Lipid peroxidation also increased and then declined in the same drought period, contrary to photosynthetic pigment content. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity did not significantly change in leaves. In the petiole and root, however, it decreased in the early drought period but increased later. Glutathione reductase (GR) activity did not significantly change in the leaf and petiole versus the control, but increased in root. Peroxidase (POD) activity increased in the leaf and petiole but decreased in the root. A peroxidase isoenzyme activity band present in the control leaves did not appear in leaves exposed to 32 days of drought, but in the later periods that activity increased. Tolerance of drought stress apparently is closely associated with the antioxidant enzyme system as well as leaf rolling in C. setosa.