Effects of net-wind and wind-sand flow on the physiology of Lycium ruthenicum

The present study investigated the effects of net-wind and wind-sand flow on the malondialdehyde content, membrane permeability, protective enzyme activity, and osmoregulation substance content of Lycium ruthenicum leaves with wind speeds of 0 (CK), 6, 9, 12, and 15 m·s^–1. The net-wind treatment, malondialdehyde content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, soluble protein content, and soluble sugar content decreased, whereas membrane permeability and peroxidase (POD) activity increased, and proline content increased first and then decreased. Under the wind-sand flow treatment, malondialdehyde content, POD activity, and soluble sugar content all increased first and then decreased, whereas the trends of other indicators were identical to those of the net-wind treatment. Both the net-wind and wind-sand flow treatments damaged the leaves, and this stress caused L. ruthenicum to increase POD activity and to enhance osmotic regulation, either by eliciting increases in proline content (net-wind flow stress) or by eliciting increases in both proline and soluble sugar contents (wind-sand flow stress).