TY  - BOOK
AU  - Chippy V B
AU  - K K Sabu (Guide)
TI  - Temperature stress tolerance in small cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) upon root colonization by endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica
U1  - 660.6 
PY  - 2022///
CY  - Vellayani
PB  - Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Agriculture
KW  - Plant Biotechnology
N1  - BSc - MSc (Int.)
N2  - Elettaria cardamomum Maton, one of the most valuable and ancient spice crops, is 
generally vulnerable to abiotic stress factors. The major factor that contributes to this 
specificity of the plant is the temperature. Piriformospora indica symbiosis with 
cardamom reduces the negative effects of temperature stress. This study was aimed to 
identify temperature stress tolerant genes in P. indica co-cultivated cardamom plants 
and evaluation of chlorophyll and mineral content.
P. indica colonized cardamom plants already established in JNTBGRI experimental 
field for a period of 1.5 years were exposed to temperature stress (ambient temperature). 
The changes in plant phenotypes and biochemical parameters were measured. To identify 
temperature stress tolerant genes conferred by P. indica, the leaf transcriptome of 
colonized and uncolonized plants were analyzed after 24h of temperature stress 
induction. 
Results obtained showed that colonization of cardamom roots by P. indica revealed 
significant variation in leaf number, leaf length and tiller number of temperature stressed 
plants compared to control (p < 0.05) for a period of 6months at 30 days intervals. In 
addition, chlorophyll a, b, a + b and carotenoid contents were increased in the leaves of 
the colonized plants under temperature stress conditions improving photosynthetic 
efficiency. Mineral estimation revealed that plants treated with P. indica increased the 
accumulation of Ca and Mg elements. Furthermore, the expression of the antioxidant 
enzymes catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were significantly upregulated by 4.83, 4.12 and 4.67 folds respectively in P. indica inoculated cardamom 
plants during temperature stress. This improvement in the transcripts of antioxidant 
enzyme genes (Catalase [CAT], Ascorbate peroxidase [APX] and Superoxide dismutase 
[SOD] could be correlated with a significant increment in antioxidant enzyme content. In 
conclusion, P. indica has the potential to enhance the cardamom growth under 
temperature stress and alters the activities of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants
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and chlorophyll content which would help them to grow in high temperature zones 
of Kerala

ER  -