Physiological and Biochemical Mechanisms of Prunus sachalinensis Root for Coping with Short-term Waterlogging and Subsequent Recovery

Heavy summer rain increases the risk of waterlogging in cherry-producing areas in China. However, the mechanisms underlying the responses of cherries to waterlogging and post-waterlogging reoxygenation remain unknown. To determine the root response to waterlogging and recovery, Prunus sachalinensis Kom. was exposed to 1 day of waterlogging and allowed to recover for 5 days. Here, we revealed alterations in root responses during the waterlogging and recovery periods. Variations in reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and scavenging, energy status, and signal transduction were time-specific. Waterlogging increased the accumulation of fermentation products, which was accompanied by decreased adenylate energy states and starch levels, indicating that Ps-RAMY upregulation-maintained energy balance. Reoxygenation resulted in a recovery period that caused a ROS burst. After 1 day of recovery, ROS accumulation peaked, and after 5 days of recovery, ROS levels returned to normal. Additionally, a regulatory module that controls ROS homeostasis and energy status during waterlogging recovery was described. These results indicated that 24 h of waterlogging did not cause irreversible injury in Prunus sachalinensis. Collectively, these results provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying the response to waterlogging and the subsequent recovery.