Metabolism and enzyme activity in young plants of soursop submitted to water deficit

The aim was to evaluate metabolic and enzymatic activity in young plants of soursop (Annona muricata) subjected to water deficit. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse. The experimental design was completely randomized with two water conditions: control and water deficit, with 15 repetitions, totaling 30 experimental units. The parameters analyzed were relative water content, nitrate reductase activity, glutamine synthetase, concentrations of nitrate, starch, sucrose and proline. The suspension of irrigation for 40 days provided significant changes in all parameters being sufficient to change and to promote a decrease in metabolic pathways and enzymatic of young plants of soursop, reducing the relative water content, levels of nitrate, nitrate reductase activity and glutamine synthetase, but raised the free ammonium levels, proline, sucrose and starch in the evaluated parts. Therefore, these changes indicate that these plants probably has moderate resistance to water deficit.