Response of caucasian clover to waterlogging stress at seedling stage

Caucasian clover is a highly resilient leguminous forage species. It can endure prolonged periods in waterlogged settings. Examining the resilience of Caucasian clover under these circumstances is of considerable significance. In this work, the response of Caucasian clover to waterlogging stress during the seedling stage was investigated and the associated morphological changes and physiological mechanisms enabling its adaptation to inundated environments were analyzed.

The study was conducted in an artificial climate chamber from 2023 to 2024. Waterlogging stress was initiated after the clover seedlings had grown for 30 days and was maintained for 28 days. Plant growth was monitored at 7-day intervals and leaf and root samples were collected to assess physiological indices.

The results demonstrated that after being subjected to waterlogging stress, Caucasian clover adapted morphologically by altering its root structure. Physiologically, Caucasian clover increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as peroxidase and catalase, which scavenged reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by stress. The activity of the anaerobic respiratory enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase was also elevated, promoting ethanol fermentation and supplying a small amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) to the plant. The plant also increased the content of osmotic substances, including soluble sugars and proteins, to maintain cellular osmotic pressure, prevent cellular content leakage and protect plant cells.