Drought stress memory in orchard grass and the role of marker-based parental selection for physiological and antioxidant responses

Drought stress memory occurring in some plants plays a crucial role in their adaptation to unfavorable conditions. However, in open-pollinated plants, this phenomenon is assumed to be affected by population plasticity resulting from kind and level of diversity and inbreeding depression. Physiological perspectives of drought stress memory in four synthetic poly-crossed populations (groups) of orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) constructed from parental genotypes with contrasting levels (narrow and wide) of molecular and morphological genetic variation were assessed. Populations of two generations (Syn1 and Syn2) were developed and were subjected to three moisture treatments, including normal irrigation (C), primary mild stress-secondary intense stress (D1D2), and secondary intense stress (D2). Pre-exposure to drought significantly improved the mean values of leaf water, chlorophyll, proline, and ascorbate peroxidase compared to intense stress, leading to more effective memory responses. Superiority of groups with high levels of molecular diversity for most traits, suggesting that the molecular genetic distance among parents is an effective predictor of progeny performance. The results indicated that the fitness of progenies of the four polycross groups declines significantly from Syn1 to Syn2, however the magnitude of observed inbreeding depends on the level of diversity and moisture conditions. We propose a hypothesis that underscores the interplay between genetic diversity among parents and drought stress memory providing valuable insights for developing new synthetic varieties in open-pollinated grasses. Specifically, we posit that higher molecular diversity among parental genotypes enhances the potential for robust drought stress memory, thereby contributing to improved progeny fitness under unfavorable conditions. •Orchard grass populations with different molecular and phenotypic diversity created.•Populations present differential stress acclimation under repeated drought cycles.•The differential stress acclimation was related to enzymatic antioxidant system.•Populations and generations exposed to a double drought cycle are more tolerant.•Results helps to understand the mechanisms underlying drought stress memory.