Effect of potassium on growth and nitrate reductase during water stress and recovery in maize

Abstract The effect of potassium (0,50, 100 and 200 mg/pot) was studied on growth characteristics and nitrate reductase activity in maize (Zea mays) seedlings during water stress and subsequent recovery. In irrigated plants K⁺ increased the rate of leaf area expansion, leading to increased leaf area per plant. Increased leaf area was associated with decreased chlorophyll content. Water stress (–15 bars) enhanced the stomatal resistance of leaves which was further accentuated by K⁺ application. Nitrate reductase activity rose in irrigated plants 24 h after K⁺ application. Subsequently, as water stress developed, K⁺ helped to maintain higher NR activity for the first two days. However, K⁺ had no effect on half life of NR in light or darkness. During recovery from stress K⁺ aided to maintain the higher leaf expansion rate, the chlorophyll content and the stomatal resistance. The results above are discussed in relation to the ability of K⁺ to maintain better growth under water stress.     

Variation in Drought Tolerance of Different Stylosanthes Accessions

Twenty genotypes of Stylosanthes consisting four species were evaluated under rain fed condition employing biochemical and physiological attributes to select drought tolerant lines. Relative water content measured at 50 % flowering stage of the plants showed significant variations among the lines which ranged from 32.11 in S. scabra RRR94-86 to 83.33 % in S. seabrana 2539. The results indicated that S. scabra genotypes were more tolerant to drought over other lines as evidenced by high leaf thickness, proline accumulation, content of sugars and chlorophyll, and nitrate reductase activity.     

Photosynthesis of six barley genotypes as affected by water stress

The effect of water stress on plant water status and net photosynthetic gas exchange (PN) in six barley genotypes (Hordeum vulgare L.) differing in productivity and drought tolerance was studied in a controlled growth chamber. Osmotic adjustment (OA), PN, stomatal conductance (gs), and the ratio intercellular/ambient. CO2 concentration (Ci/Ca) were evaluated at four different levels of soil water availability, corresponding to 75, 35, 25 and 15 % of total available water. Variability in OA capacity was observed between genotypes: the drought tolerant genotypes Albacete and Alpha showed higher OA than drought susceptible genotypes Express and Mogador. The genotype Albacete exhibited also higher PN than the others at low water potential (Ψ). The ratios of PN/gs and Ci/Ca showed that differences in photosynthetic inhibition between genotypes at low Ψ were probably due to nonstomatal effects. In Tichedrett, a landrace genotype with a very extensive root development, OA was not observed, however, it exhibited a capacity to maintain its photosynthetic activity under water stress. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cyclitols and carbohydrates in leaves and roots of 13 Eucalyptus species suggest contrasting physiological responses to water deficit

In many tree species, physiological adaptations to drought include the accumulation of osmotically active substances and/or the presence of particular compatible solutes, among them cyclitols. Recently, the cyclitol quercitol was identified in species of Eucalyptus, a diverse genus whose speciation is probably driven by adaptation to water availability. We subjected seedlings of 13 Eucalyptus species from different ecosystems ('mesic' and 'xeric') and different sub-generic taxonomic groups to 10 weeks of water deficit (WD) treatment. Pre-dawn water potentials (psi(pdwn)) and relative water content (RWC) were determined in shoots, and total osmolality, soluble low-molecular-weight carbohydrates and cyclitols were measured in leaves and roots. Responses to water deficit followed two distinct patterns: Eucalyptus species from 'mesic' environments adjusted concentrations of sucrose (through increased levels of sucrose and decreases in RWC) in response to water deficit, whereas 'xeric' species increased concentrations of quercitol (through reductions in RWC). In root tissues, only species from xeric environments contained high levels of quercitol and mannitol, increasing under WD conditions. We suggest that the former (mesic) strategy may be beneficial to respond to short-lasting drought conditions, because sucrose is easily metabolized, whereas the latter (xeric) strategy may relate to an effective acclimation to longer-lasting drought. These physiological response groups are also related to taxonomic groups within the genus.     

Growth, Water Content, and Proline Accumulation in Drought-Stressed Callus of Date Palm

This study was conducted to examine the response of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L., cvs. Barhee and Hillali) calli to water stress. Callus derived from shoot tip explants was inoculated in liquid Murashige and Skoog medium containing 10 mg dm^–3-naphthaleneacetic acid, 1.5 mg dm^–3 2-isopentenyladenine, and 0 to 30 % (m/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG 8000) to examine the effect of water stress. After 2 weeks, callus growth, water content, and proline accumulation were assessed. Increasing water stress caused a progressive reduction in growth as expressed in callus fresh mass, relative growth rate, and index of tolerance. Both genotypes tested followed this general trend, however, cv. Barhee was more tolerant to drought stress than cv. Hillali. Increasing PEG concentration was also associated with a progressive reduction in water content and increased content of endogenous free proline.     

Role of proline and leaf expansion rate in the recovery of stressed white clover leaves with increased phosphorus concentration

Osmotic adjustment (OA) and increased cell-wall extensibility required for expansive leaf growth are well defined components of adaptation to water stress in dry soil, which might interact with soil phosphorus (P) concentration and defoliation frequency for intensively grazed white clover in legume-based pastures. Experiments were conducted with frequently and infrequently defoliated mini-swards of white clover growing in dry soil with low and high P concentrations. The higher yielding high-P plants were able to dry the soil to greater soil water suctions; their leaves had lower water potential values, yet they showed fewer water stress symptoms and underwent a more complete recovery from the water stress symptoms on rewatering, than the low-P plants. High- P plants had greater OA, proline concentration and leaf expansion rate. On the other hand, low-P plants showed an increased osmotic concentration when there was no change in the total solute content per unit of leaf d. wt, indicating more loss of water from the leaf tissue. The key measures that appeared to be directly associated with plant recovery over a short period following water stress were increased proline concentration and leaf expansion rate, probably resulting from increased cell-wall extensibility rather than increased production of cells for the high-P plants.     

Water stress induced changes in concentrations of proline and total soluble sugars in nodulated alfalfa (Medicago sativd) plants

Susceptibility of alfalfa ( Medicago saliva L. cv. Aragón) nodules and leaves to water stress has been investigated. Nodule acetylene reduction activity (ARA), leaf CO₂ exchange rate (CER) as well as soluble protein, proline and total soluble sugar (TSS) contents were determined during drought. Water status was estimated as water potential (Ψ_w) and Relative water content (RWC) of the respective tissues. Maximum rates of ARA required higher Ψ_w than CER. Nodules had lower RWC for a given Ψ_w than leaves. Water stress reduced soluble protein content in both tissues; however, the decline in soluble protein content was detected at greater Ψ_w in nodules than in leaves. Proline and TSS increased in leaves and nodules, and again the threshold Ψ_w triggering such accumulation was higher in nodule tissues. Oior results suggest that alfalfa nodules are more susceptible to water shortage than leaves. Effects of accumulated TSS and proline upon leaf and nodule physiology are discussed in relation to protein stability (proline), pH control (proline) and osmotic adjustment (proiine and TSS). The TSS accumulation induced by water stress suggests that substrate shortage would not be the primary effect of drought on nodule activity.     

Amelioration of Negative Effect of Water Stress in Cassia Angustifolia by Benzyladenine and/or Ascorbic Acid

The effect of benzyladenine (BA) and ascorbic acid (AA) on relative water content, proline accumulation, net photosynthetic rate (P_N), chlorophyll (Chl) content and nitrate reductase (NR) activity, under sufficient water supply and moisture stress was studied in senna (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.) at seedling, vegetative, flowering and pod formation stages. AA treatment resulted in a higher accumulation of proline at all the stages of growth. Both BA and AA enhanced P_N, Chl content and NR activity, and ameliorate the negative effect of water stress.     

Influence of soil applications of nitrogen on nitrate reductase activity,leaf and grain protein content in sorghum

Summary Three sorghum genotypes, L.187, SK5912 and RCFA×L.187 (the latter being a hybrid) were field grown under four nitrogen application rates and replicated four times. The experiments were of complete randomized plot design and conducted in 1976, 1977 and 1978.Nitrate Reductase Activity (NRA) was measured at 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 weeks and at 18, 19, 20 and 21 weeks after planting in 4th vegetative leaf and flag leaf respectively. Flag leaf, 4th leaf and grain protein contents were also measured.Nitrogen application generally increased NRA in both 4th leaf and flag leaf in the 3 genotypes at all the sampling dates.NRA of the hybrid, RCFA×L.187 was consistently higher than those of SK5912 and L.187 (both straight varieties).NRA of 4th leaf was negatively correlated with leaf protein but flag leaf protein tended to increase with applied nitrogen.Flag leaf NRA was positively and significantly correlated with grain protein indicating an important part played by the flag leaf relative to protein accumulation of the developing grain.     

Relationship of nitrate supply with growth rate, plasma membrane-bound and cytosolic nitrate reductase, and tissue nitrate content in tobacco plants

cNR, cytosolic nitrate reductase
PM-NR, plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase

Activities of plasma membrane-bound nitrate reductase (PM-NR) and cytosolic nitrate reductase (cNR) in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun) are regulated differently, depending upon the nitrate supply to the culture medium (in sand culture). The cNR activity of roots was higher at low nitrate concentrations with the maximum at 5 mM nitrate supply and declined to low values beyond 5 mM . In contrast, the PM-NR activity of roots increased with higher nitrate concentrations with the maximum at 25 mM nitrate and clearly decreased only at 40 mM . This high PM-NR activity correlated with a low growth rate and might be one of the responses to excess nitrate. Internal nitrate and total nitrogen content of the tissues, however, showed a relative minimum in shoots and in roots of between 15 and 25 mM external nitrate. With declining PM-NR activities beyond 25 mM external nitrate, the nitrate content in the tissue increased indicating an inverse relationship between tissue nitrate content and root PM-NR activity. In leaves both NR activities (cNR and PM-NR) correlated with the internal nitrate content, but with a different response at low nitrate.     

Leaf position-dependent changes in proline,pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase activity and water relations under salt-stress in genetically stable salt-tolerant somaclones ofBrassica juncea L.

The magnitude of the effect of salt stress on proline content, pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) reductase activity and water relations was found to be leaf position dependent in an advance generation (R4) of twoBrassica juncea L. somaclones (SR-2 and SR-3) selected in vitro for NaCl-tolerance and the parent cv. Prakash. Free proline content and P5C reductase activity increased with increase in salt stress in all the lines but at different rates; the maximum increase being in the SR-3 derived somaclonal line. At 100 mM NaCl, SR-3 showed a nearly 19 fold increase in proline content compared to a 4–5 fold increase in the other two genotypes. The proline level and P5C reductase activity of the first (youngest) leaf was higher than in the other leaves and decreased linearly with increase in age of the leaf in all the lines. The relationship between relative water content and osmotic potential of the leaves at different positions also varied. The results indicate that a significant effect of salt may appear non-significant if the position of the leaves is not taken into account while sampling.     

Responses of alfalfa to potassium, calcium, and nitrogen under stress induced by sodium chloride

The physiological responses of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Gilboa) to salinity (100 mM NaCl) and some inorganic nutrients (K+, Ca2+ and N as NO3-) were investigated. Salinity caused a substantial reduction in biomass, carbon assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, leaf area, relative growth rate, NO3- content and nitrate reductase activity, whereas, transpiration rate was slightly affected. Inclusion of K+, Ca2+ and N as NO3- in plant nutrient medium in combination or alone brought about a marked stimulation in control plants and moderated the salinity caused reductions in NaCl treated plants. In addition, plants also exhibited differences in these parameters at two growth stages. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of light and nitrates on nitrate reductase activity and stability in seedling leaves of selected barley genotypes

Parental genotypes (cv. Aramir and line R567) and the selected doubled haploid (DH) lines C23, C47/1, C41, C55 did not differ in NR activity when they grew on a nutrient solution containing 10 mM KNO₃ and were illuminated with light at 124 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ intensity. A decrease of nitrate content in the nutrient medium to 0.5 mM at 44 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ light intensity caused a significant reduction of NR activity in the parental genotypes as well as in the lines C41 and C55. An increase in light intensity to 124 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ raised NR activity in the leaf extracts of these genotypes. However, independently of light intensity, a high level of this enzyme activity was maintained in the line C23 growing on the nutrient medium with 10 mM and 0.5 mM KNO₃. The NR activity in that line dropped only when nitrate content in the medium decreased to 0.1 mM. NR in the leaves of the line C23, as compared to C41, was characterized by a higher thermal stability in all experimental combinations. An increase in light intensity had no significant influence on NR thermal stability in the leaves of the line C41, but induced a significant increase of this enzyme stability in the line C23. The lines C23 and C41 growing on the nutrient medium with 0.5 mM KNO₃ differed appreciably by nitrate concentration in leaves. A higher accumulation of nitrates was detected in the leaves of the line C41.     

Osmotic adjustment inSorghum bicolor (L. Moench) grown under moisture stress in soil and osmotically modified solution cultures

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) plants were grown in solution culture and stressed at three rates of decreasing leaf water potential (−0.123, −0.068 and −0.029 MPa day⁻¹) achieved by the incremental addition of an osmoticum, polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 to the solutions. Plants were also grown in soil and given different amounts of water which resulted in rates of decreasing leaf water potentials of −0.130 and −0.073 MPa day⁻¹. The rate of stress and the culture system influenced the accumulation of solutes in the cell, but not cell volume. A rapid stress (−0.123 and −0.130 MPa day⁻¹) to approximately −1.6 MPa leaf water potential resulted in 0.75 and 0.16 MPa of osmotic adjustment in the PEG and soil culture respectively. At moderate stress (−0.068 and −0.073 MPa day⁻¹) respective values were 1.68 and 0.58 MPa. There were some visual symptoms in the solution grown plants characteristic of uptake of high molecular weight PEG. However the relative growth rates of these plants were equal to or greater than those of the soil grown plants. In view of the differences in plant water status of soil and PEG solution cultured plants it was concluded that the use of the latter system would not be entirely suitable for some studies of drought resistance in sorghum, as related to crop performance in the field.     

The application of ethephon (an ethylene releaser) increases growth, photosynthesis and nitrogen accumulation in mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under high nitrogen levels

Ethephon (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid), an ethylene-releasing compound, influences growth and photosynthesis of mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss.). We show the effect of nitrogen availability on ethylene evolution and how this affects growth, photosynthesis and nitrogen accumulation. Ethylene evolution in the control with low N (100 mg N kg(-1) soil) was two-times higher than with high N (200 mg N kg(-1) soil). The application of 100-400 microl x l(-1) ethephon post-flowering, i.e. 60 days after sowing, on plants receiving low or high N further increased ethylene evolution. Leaf area, relative growth rate (RGR), photosynthesis, leaf nitrate reductase (NR) activity and leaf N reached a maximum with application of 200 microl x l(-1) ethephon and high N. The results suggest that the application of ethephon influences growth, photosynthesis and N accumulation, depending on the amount of nitrogen in the soil.     

Phosphorus ameliorates crop productivity,photosynthesis, nitrate reductase activity and nutrient accumulation in coffee senna (Senna occidentalis L.) under phosphorus-deficient soil

Abstract

Coffee senna (Senna occidentalis L.) plants were subjected to five phosphorus levels: 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg P per kg soil (P₀, P₁, P₂, P₃ and P₄, respectively). A pot culture experiment was conducted in a net house, AMU, Aligarh, India, under phosphorus-deficient soil. The present data indicates that soil-applied phosphorus significantly ameliorates most of the attributes studied. Out of five phosphorus levels, 75 mg P per kg soil (P₃) proved best and enhanced fresh and dry weights, total chlorophyll and carotenoid content, nitrate reductase activity and leaf-NPK and Ca content, analyzed at 120, 270 and 300 days after sowing (DAS). The number of pods, seed-yield per plant and seed-protein content (330 DAS) were significantly enhanced by the P₃ level, except the number of seeds per pod, 100-seed weight and total anthraquinone glycosides content, respectively. Transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and net photosynthetic rate were also enhanced by this treatment.     

Associations between plant production and some physiological components of drought resistance in wheat

Abstract. Drought resistance in terms of plant production under conditions of drought stress was previously defined for several spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) varieties. Four varieties, differing in their drought resistance by this definition, were compared in their physiological responses to water stress, as induced by polyethylene glycol 6000 in the growth medium.
Drought resistance was associated with osmotic adjustment, total root mass production under stress, maintenance of some stomatal permeability under stress, and maintenance of turgor at a given level of drought stress, by either osmotic adjustment or elevated plant water potential.
Drought resistance was not associated, in this experiment, with plant top growth under stress or non-stress conditions, maximum leaf area per plant, plant transpiration, and total root mass production under non-stress conditions.