Comparative effects of salt and alkali stresses on growth, osmotic adjustment and ionic balance of an alkali-resistant halophyte Suaeda glauca (Bge.)

Effects of salt and alkali stresses on growth, osmotic adjustment and ionic balance of Suaeda glauca (Bge.), an alkali-resistant succulent halophyte, were compared. The results showed that alkali stress clearly inhibited the growth of S. glauca. Moreover, the concentrations of Na⁺ and K⁺ both increased with increasing salinity under both stresses, suggesting no competitive inhibition between absorptions of Na⁺ and K⁺. The mechanism underlying osmotic adjustment during salt stress was similar to alkali stress in shoots. The shared essential features were that organic acids, betaine and inorganic ions (dominated by Na⁺) mostly accumulated. On the other hand, the mechanisms governing ionic balance under both stresses were different. Under salt stress, S. glauca accumulated organic acids and inorganic anions to maintain the intracellular ionic equilibrium, but the anion contribution of inorganic ions was greater than that of organic acids. However, the concentrations of inorganic anions under alkali stress were significantly lower than those under salt stress of the same intensity, suggesting that alkali stress might inhibit uptake of anions, such as NO₃ ^– and H₂PO₄ ^–. Under alkali stress, organic acids were the dominant factor in maintaining ionic equilibrium. The contribution of organic acids to anions was 74.1%, while that of inorganic anions was only 25.9%. S. glauca enhanced the synthesis of organic acids, dominated by oxalic acid, to compensate for the shortage of inorganic anions.     

Seed germination,seedling survival,and physiological response of sunflowers under saline and alkaline conditions

Salinization and alkalization of soil are widespread environmental problem and the alkali stress is more destructive than the effects caused by salt stress. To compare the mechanism of salt and alkali stresses, a sunflower variety (Helianthus annuus L. cv. Baikuiza 6) was tested under saline or alkaline conditions by mixing two neutral salts (NaCl and Na₂SO₄) or two alkaline salts (NaHCO₃ and Na₂CO₃). The results showed that saline conditions differed greatly from alkaline conditions in their threshold intensities where sunflower can germinate, survive and grow. Under saline conditions, the emergence time was delayed, and the emergence rate and seedling survival rate also decreased with increasing salinity. However, under alkaline conditions, the rate of seedling survival decreased sharply but the emergence time and emergence rate did not change. In addition, the damaging effects of alkali stress on growth and photosynthesis were more severe than those of saline. In shoots, the main inorganic osmolyte and cation was K⁺ rather than Na⁺; the primary organic osmolytes were organic acid and soluble sugar rather than proline. Organic acid, NO₃ ⁻, and Cl⁻ (only under saline condition) were the main source of anion. In addition, the osmotic adjustment and ion balance differed among sunflower roots, stems, and leaves. In conclusion, saline and alkaline conditions are two different stress conditions and there are special responses to two stress conditions for sunflower.     

Osmotic adjustment and ion balance traits of an alkali resistant halophyte Kochia sieversiana during adaptation to salt and alkali conditions

Kochia sieversiana (Pall.) C. A. M., a naturally alkali-resistant halophyte, was chosen as the test organism for our research. The seedlings of K. sieversiana were treated with varying (0–400 mM) salt stress (1:1 molar ratio of NaCl to Na₂SO₄) and alkali stress (1:1 molar ratio of NaHCO₃ to Na₂CO₃). The concentrations of various solutes in fresh shoots, including Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, H₂PO₃⁻, betaine, proline, soluble sugar (SS), and organic acid (OA), were determined. The water content (WC) of the shoots was calculated and the OA components were analyzed. Finally, the osmotic adjustment and ion balance traits in the shoots of K. sieversiana were explored. The results showed that the WC of K. sieversiana remained higher than 6 [g g⁻¹ Dry weight (DW)] even under the highest salt or alkali stress. At salinity levels >240 mM, proline concentrations increased dramatically, with rising salinity. We proposed that this was not a simple response to osmotic stress. The concentrations of Na⁺ and K⁺ all increased with increasing salinity, which implies that there was no competitive inhibition for absorption of either in K. sieversiana. Based on our results, the osmotic adjustment feature of salt stress was similar to that of alkali stress in the shoots of K. sieversiana. The shared essential features were that the shoots maintained a state of high WC, OA, Na⁺, K⁺ and other inorganic ions, accumulated largely in the vacuoles, and betaine, accumulated in cytoplasm. On the other hand, the ionic balance mechanisms under both stresses were different. Under salt stress, K. sieversiana accumulated OA and inorganic ions to maintain the intracellular ionic equilibrium, with close to equal contributions of OA and inorganic ions to anion. However, under alkali stress, OA was the dominant factor in maintaining ionic equilibrium. The contribution of OA to anion was as high as 84.2%, and the contribution of inorganic anions to anion was only 15.8%. We found that the physiological responses of K. sieversiana to salt and alkali stresses were unique, and that mechanisms existed in it that were different from other naturally alkali-resistant gramineous plants, such as Aneurolepidium chinense, Puccinellia tenuiflora. Responsible Editor: John McPherson Cheeseman.     

Photosynthesis,chlorophyll fluorescence,inorganic ion and organic acid accumulations of sunflower in responses to salt and salt-alkaline mixed stress

Sunflowers were treated with mixing proportions of NaCl, Na₂SO₄, NaHCO₃, and Na₂CO₃. Effects of salt and saltalkaline mixed stress on growth, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, and contents of inorganic ions and organic acids of sunflower were compared. The growth of sunflower decreased with increasing salinity. The contents of photosynthetic pigments did not decrease under salt stress, but their contents decreased sharply under salt-alkaline mixed stress. Net photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance and intercellular CO₂ concentration decreased obviously, with greater reductions under salt-alkaline mixed stress than under salt one. Fluorescence parameters showed no significant differences under salt stress. However, maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry, photochemical quenching coefficient, electron transport rate, and actual PSII efficiency significantly decreased but non-photochemical quenching increased substantially under salt-alkaline mixed stress. Under salt-alkaline mixed stress, sunflower leaves maintained a low Na⁺- and high K⁺ status; this may be an important feature of sunflower tolerance to salinity. Analysis of the mechanism of ion balance showed that K⁺ but not Na⁺ was the main inorganic cation in sunflower leaves. Our results indicated that the change in organic acid content was opposite to the change of Cl⁻, and the contribution of organic acid to total charge in sunflower leaves under both stresses decreased with increasing salinity. This may be a special adaptive response to stresses for sunflower. Sunflower under stress conditions mainly accumulated inorganic ions instead of synthesizing organic compounds to decrease cell water potential in order to save energy consumption.     

盐、碱胁迫下小冰麦体内的pH及离子平衡

通过混合两种中性盐（NaCl和Na₂SO₄）和两种碱性盐（NaHCO₃和Na₂CO₃）分别模拟出不同强度的盐、碱胁迫条件,对小冰麦苗进行12 d胁迫处理,测定茎叶组织液的pH值及Na⁺、K⁺、Ca²⁺、Cl^-、SO₄^2-、NO₃^-、H₂PO₄-和有机酸等溶质的浓度,以探讨盐、碱两种胁迫下小冰麦体内的pH及离子平衡特点.结果表明：盐、碱胁迫下小冰麦茎叶内的pH值均稳定不变;随胁迫强度的增加,盐胁迫下小冰麦茎叶内有机酸浓度没有明显变化,Cl^-浓度大幅度增加,而碱胁迫下有机酸浓度大幅度增加,Cl^-浓度没有明显变化.盐、碱胁迫下小冰麦茎叶中的阳离子均以Na⁺和K⁺为主,但阴离子的来源明显不同.盐胁迫下无机阴离子对负电荷的贡献起主导作用,其贡献率达61.3%～66.7%;而碱胁迫下,随胁迫强度的增大,有机酸对负离子的贡献率从38.35%上升到61.60%,逐渐成为主导成分.实验结果表明,有机酸积累是小冰麦在碱胁迫下保持体内离子平衡和pH稳定的关键生理响应.     

Accumulation of inorganic and organic osmolytes and their role in osmotic adjustment in NaCl-stressed vetiver grass seedlings

The accumulation of inorganic and organic osmolytes and their role in osmotic adjustment were investigated in roots and leaves of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) seedlings stressed with 100, 200, and 300 mM NaCl for 9 days. The results showed that, although the contents of inorganic (K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻ and H₂PO₃⁻)) and organic (soluble sugar, organic acids, and free amino acids) osmolytes all increased with NaCl concentration, the contribution of inorganic ions (mainly Na⁺, K⁺, and Cl⁻) to osmotic adjustment was higher (71.50–80.56% of total) than that of organic solutes (19.43–28.50%). The contribution of inorganic ions increased and that of organic solutes decreased in roots with the enhanced NaCl concentration, whereas the case in leaves was opposite. On the other hand, the osmotic adjustment was only effective for vetiver grass seedlings under moderate saline stress (less than 200 mM NaCl).     

盐旱交叉胁迫对柽柳幼苗渗透调节物质含量的影响

以2年生柽柳幼苗为试验材料,采用盆栽模拟试验研究不同盐分和干旱胁迫对其叶片中渗透调节物质的影响,以探讨柽柳幼苗对盐旱交叉胁迫的适应性.结果表明:(1)随盐旱胁迫的不断加剧,幼苗叶片中可溶性糖含量呈先升高后降低的趋势,且中度和重度盐旱胁迫下均显著高于对照(CK).(2)幼苗叶片中脯氨酸含量在不同盐旱胁迫下均呈逐渐上升趋势,但在重度盐分和中度、重度干旱交叉胁迫下显著高于CK.(3)幼苗叶片中Na+、Cl含量在不同干旱胁迫下,随盐胁迫的加剧呈不同的变化规律,盐旱胁迫的各个处理水平下均显著高于CK,而K+、Ca2+、SO42-含量在轻度和重度干旱胁迫下随盐胁迫增强不断降低.(4)在中度盐旱胁迫下,K+、Ca2+含量与CK无明显差异.研究表明,柽柳幼苗中渗透调节物质在其抗旱耐盐性方面具有积极的调节作用;柽柳幼苗在盐旱胁迫下表现出一定的交叉适应性,适度的干旱胁迫能增强柽柳幼苗对盐分胁迫的耐受能力.     

渗透胁迫和离子毒害对转Bt基因棉幼苗生长及离子分布的影响

研究了渗透和盐胁迫处理对转Bt基因抗虫棉(Gossypium hirsutum) 99B种子的萌发和幼苗生长的影响,以及幼苗不同器官离子吸收和分配的差异。结果表明:渗透和盐胁迫均对转Bt基因抗虫棉幼苗的生长有抑制作用,其中PEG的抑制作用最强,而3种盐的抑制程度以CaCl₂>NaCl>Na₂SO₄,且在Na⁺含量相同时,Cl^-的毒害大于SO₄^2-。渗透胁迫下使根、茎和叶中的Na⁺和Cl^-含量提高,K⁺、Ca²⁺、SO₄^2-含量和K⁺/Na⁺、Ca²⁺/Na⁺和SO₄^2-/Cl^-比值降低,且地上部的变化幅度大于地下部的,其中以PEG的影响最为显著,其次是CaCl₂,Na₂SO₄处理最弱。这些说明,转Bt基因抗虫棉99B的耐盐性较弱。     

Transgenic tomato plants overexpressing chloroplastic monodehydroascorbate reductase are resistant to salt- and PEG-induced osmotic stress

RNA gel hybridization showed that the expression of monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) in the wild type (WT) tomato was decreased firstly and then increased under salt- and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced osmotic stress, and the maximum level was observed after treatment for 12 h. WT, sense transgenic and antisense transgenic tomato plants were used to analyze the antioxidative ability to cope with osmotic stresses. After salt stress, the fresh mass (FM) and height of sense transgenic lines were greater than those of antisense lines and WT plants. Under salt and PEG treatments, sense transgenic plants showed a lower level of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA), a higher net photosynthetic rate (P _N), and the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (F_v/F_m) compared with WT and antisense transgenic plants. Moreover, sense lines maintained higher ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity than WT and antisense plants under salt- and PEG-induced osmotic stress. These results indicate that chloroplastic MDHAR plays an important role in alleviating photoinhibition of PSII by elevating ascorbate (AsA) level under salt- and PEG-induced osmotic stress.     

Increased glycine betaine synthesis and salinity tolerance in AhCMO transgenic cotton lines

Glycine betaine is an osmoprotectant that plays an important role and accumulates rapidly in many plants during salinity or drought stress. Choline monooxygenase (CMO) is a major catalyst in the synthesis of glycine betaine. In our previous study, a CMO gene (AhCMO) cloned from Atriplex hortensis was introduced into cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) via Agrobacterium mediation to enhance resistance to salinity stress. However, there is little or no knowledge of the salinity tolerance of the transgenic plants, particularly under saline-field conditions. In the present study, two transgenic AhCMO cotton lines of the T₃ generation were used to study the AhCMO gene expression, and to determine their salinity tolerance in both greenhouse and field under salinity stress. Molecular analysis confirmed that the transgenic plants expressed the AhCMO gene. Greenhouse study showed that on average, seedlings of the transgenic lines accumulated 26 and 131% more glycine betaine than those of non-transgenic plants (SM3) under normal and salt-stress (150 mmol l⁻¹ NaCl) conditions, respectively. The osmotic potential, electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation were significantly lower in leaves of the transgenic lines than in those of SM3 after salt stress. The net photosynthesis rate and Fv/Fm in transgenic cotton leaves were less affected by salinity than in non-transgenic cotton leaves. Therefore, transgenic cotton over-expressing AhCMO was more tolerant to salt stress due to elevated accumulation of glycine betaine, which provided greater protection of the cell membrane and photosynthetic capacity than in non-transgenic cotton. The seed cotton yield of the transgenic plants was lower under normal conditions, but was significantly higher than that of non-transgenic plants under salt-stressed field conditions. The results indicate that over-expression of AhCMO in cotton enhanced salt stress tolerance, which is of great value in cotton production in the saline fields.     

Osmotic adjustment in Lycopersicon esculentum and L. Pennellii under NaCl and polyethylene glycol 6000 iso–osmotic stresses

Changes in leaf solute contents in response to saline (NaCl) and osmotic (polyethylene glycol, PEG, 6000) stresses were measured in three different salt tolerant cultivars of Lycopersicon esculentum (L.) Mill. (Pera, P-73 and Volgogradskij), and its wild relative L. pennellii (Correll) D'Arcy accession PE-47. Iso-osmotic stresses (–0. 5 MPa) of NaCl (140 mM) and PEG 6000 (150 g l^-1) were applied to one-month old plants for 3 weeks. Decreasing leaf dry weight was similar in L. pennellii or L. esculentum cv. P-73 and Volgogradskij under both stresses, while leaf dry weight of L. esculentum cv. Pera decreased more under PEG stress than under NaCl stress. Water contents decreased in all the PEG treated populations, while their calculated solute potential (Ψ_s increased. Under osmotic stress, the total ion contents decreased in relation to control, whereas organic solutes (sugars, amino acids and organic acids) markedly increased in both tomato species, specially in the tomato cultivars, where these solutes represented 50% of the Ψ₅ calculated. Soluble sugar increase was three times higher in leaves of L. esculentum than in the leaves of L. pennellii. Free proline increased under both stresses and its content was highest in L. esculentum and in L. pennellii, respectively, under NaCl and PEG stresses. Nevertheless, the contribution of this metabolite to Ψ_s did not exceed 5%, irrespective of treatment and species. The greater organic solute accumulation in L. esculentum than in L. pennellii– which was not reflected in their Ψ₅ values – was not correlated with the tolerances of the two species to osmotic stress. Therefore, osmotic adjustment may not be the only process influencing salt and drought tolerances in tomato; the ability of plants to regulate their metabolic and physiological functions could also play an important role under these harmful conditions. The possible roles of inorganic solutes and metabolites in osmotic adjustment, energetic metabolism and redox regulation are discussed     

亚麻响应盐、碱胁迫的生理特征

利用中性盐NaCl、Na₂SO₄和碱性盐NaHCO₃、Na₂CO₃混合模拟不同强度的盐、碱胁迫条件, 对亚麻(Linum usitatissimum)进行14天胁迫处理, 测定其地上部分和根生长速率、光合特征、离子平衡及有机渗透调节物质积累, 以探讨亚麻对盐、碱两种胁迫的生理响应特点。研究表明: 亚麻生长对盐、碱胁迫的响应存在差异, 在相同盐浓度下, 碱胁迫对亚麻的伤害大于盐胁迫。碱胁迫使地上部分中Na⁺浓度急剧增高, 造成叶绿体破坏、光合色素含量下降, 光合能力及碳同化能力也急剧下降。亚麻中Na⁺含量随着胁迫强度的增加而升高, 而K⁺含量呈下降趋势, 碱胁迫下的变化明显大于盐胁迫。因此, 碱胁迫导致Na⁺过度积累可能是碱胁迫对植物伤害大于盐胁迫的最主要原因。碱胁迫下Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺在根中下降明显, 可见高pH值阻碍根对Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺的吸收。Fe²⁺和Zn²⁺对渗透调节的影响不大, 因为它们的离子含量较低。盐胁迫促进阴离子(Cl^-、H₂PO₄^-和SO₄^2-)的积累来平衡大量涌入的Na⁺, 但是碱胁迫明显减少无机阴离子含量, 可能造成严重营养胁迫(如P和S不足)。亚麻在盐胁迫下积累大量可溶性糖来平衡大量的Na⁺, 但碱胁迫下积累大量有机酸来维持细胞内离子平衡和pH值稳定, 碱胁迫大量积累的有机酸也可能被分泌到根外调节根外的pH值, 这说明亚麻对两种不同胁迫的响应方式不同。研究证明高pH值会直接影响植物根系的生长发育, 影响植物矿质元素的吸收, 阻碍离子稳态重建, 有机酸代谢是亚麻碱胁迫下的关键适应机制。     

Eco-physiological responses of linseed (Linum usitatissimum) to salt and alkali stresses

AimsEffects of salt and alkali stresses (NaCl-Na₂SO₄ and NaHCO₃-Na₂CO₃) were compared on growth, photosynthesis characters, ionic balance and osmotic adjustment of linseed (Linum usitatissimum), to elucidate the mechanisms of salt and alkali stress (high pH value) damage to plants, and their physiological adaptive mechanisms to the stresses. MethodsThe experiment was carried out in an artificial greenhouse. Plants grew at approximately 700 mmol·m^-2·s^-1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) in greenhouse under photoperiod of 15 h in light and 9 h in dark. In each plastic pot (17 cm diameter) which contained 2.5 kg of washed sand, 20 linseed seeds were sown. The seedlings were exposed to stresses lasting 14 days after 2 months.Important findingsThe inhibitory effects of alkali stress on linseed growth were more remarkable than those of salt stress, indicating that alkali and salt represent two distinct forms of stress. The alkali stress increased the Na⁺ content in shoots, damaged the photosynthetic system, and highly reduced the net photosynthetic rate and C assimilation capacity. Under salinity stress, the Na⁺ content increased, the K⁺ content decreased with increasing stress. Greater changes were observed under alkali than under salt stress. Alkali stress caused the massive influx of Na⁺, which probably explained that the harmful of alkali stress on plants was stronger than that of salt stress. Under alkali stress, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ decreased in roots, showing that high pH value around roots hindered the absorption of them. Fe²⁺ and Zn²⁺ had little effects on the osmotic adjustment, mainly because of they had a low ion content. Under salt stress, anion increased in order to balance the sharp increase of Na⁺. However, alkali stress made severe deficit of negative charge, broke the intracellular ionic balance and pH homeostasis, and caused a series of strain response. Our results showed that linseed enhanced the synthesis of soluble sugars to balance massive influx of Na⁺ under salt stress, but linseed enhanced the synthesis of organic acids to compensate for the shortage of inorganic anions, which might be a key pathway for the pH adjustment. In conclusion, the alkali stress (high pH value) clearly inhibited the growth, element absorption, ion homeostasis reconstruction of plants. Organic acid concentration is possibly a key adaptive factor for linseed to maintain intracellular ion balance and regulate high pH value under alkali stress.     

施盐和磷对台湾相思幼苗光合作用及养分特征的影响

为探究施盐和磷对重要海防林树种台湾相思幼苗叶光合作用与养分特征的影响，该研究设置0%(B₀)、0.2%(B₁)、0.4%(B₂)、0.6%(B₃)、0.8%(B₄)的NaCl溶液和0 (P₀)、0.5 (P₁)、1.5 (P₂)g·kg^-1 3个供磷水平的过磷酸钙磷肥，在此基础上设置盐磷6个耦合处理，测定幼苗光合作用和养分特征指标。结果表明：(1)盐胁迫显著抑制台湾相思幼苗的生长发育，盐含量越高影响程度越大；低盐施磷对台湾相思幼苗生长不利，中高盐施磷显著减缓盐对幼苗生长的抑制作用。(2)台湾相思幼苗光合作用受盐胁迫影响显著；中低盐施磷后气孔关闭程度上升会加剧盐胁迫对幼苗光合作用的影响，高盐适当施磷可显著提高台湾相思幼苗光合能力。(3)盐胁迫显著降低叶绿素含量且对光系统Ⅱ造成危害；低盐胁迫施磷对台湾相思幼苗叶绿素合成不利，高盐适当施磷可以提高叶绿素合成量、稳定细胞膜结构以及提高叶片潜在光合能力...     

Effects of iso-osmotic NaCl and mannitol on growth, proline content, and antioxidant defense in Mammillaria gracilis Pfeiff. in vitro-grown cultures

Effects of iso-osmotic concentrations of NaCl and mannitol were studied in Mammilaria gracilis (Cactaceae) in both calli and tumors grown in vitro. In both tissues, relative growth rates were reduced under osmotic stress, which were accompanied by a decrease in both tissue water and K⁺ content. However, growth was inhibited to a lesser extent after exposure to NaCl, when accumulation of Na⁺ ions was observed. In calli, only salinity increased proline content, whereas with tumors proline accumulated after both osmotic stresses. Osmotic stresses also induced oxidative damage in both cactus tissues, although higher oxidative injury was caused by mannitol in calli and by salt in tumors. Low iso-osmotic concentrations of NaCl (75 mM) and mannitol (150 mM) increased peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and esterase activities, whereas elevated catalase activity was recorded only after mannitol treatment in both tissues. High osmotic stress generally decreased enzymatic activities. However, in calli, esterase activity increased in response to high salinity, whereas ascorbate peroxidase activity was enhanced after high mannitol stress. In conclusion, both in vitro-grown cactus tissues were found to be sensitive to osmotic stress caused by either mannitol or NaCl, but accumulation of Na⁺ ions in response to salt somewhat contributed to osmotic adjustment. However, more prominent oxidative damage induced by NaCl compared to mannitol in tumor could be related to ion toxicity. The mechanisms that mediate responses to salt- and mannitol-induced osmotic stresses differed and were dependent on tissue type.     

Effect of salinity on osmotic adjustment characteristics of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kandelia candel</Emphasis>

To elucidate the osmotic adjustment characteristics of mangrove plants, inorganic ion and organic solute contents of intermediate leaves were investigated in 3-month-old Kandelia candel (L.) Druce seedlings during 45 days of NaCl treatments (0, 200, and 500 mM NaCl). The contents of Na⁺, Cl⁻, total free amino acids, proline, total soluble sugars, pinitol and mannitol increased to different degree by salinity, whereas, K⁺ content decreased by salinity compared with control. NaCl treatment induced an increase of inorganic ion contribution while a decrease of organic solute contribution. It was concluded that accumulating a large amount of inorganic ions was used as the main osmotic adjustment mechanism under salinity treatment. However, accumulation of organic osmolytes might be considered to play much more important role in osmoregulation under severe salinity (500 mM NaCl) than under moderate salinity (200 mM NaCl), thus the damage caused by high toxic ions (Na⁺ and Cl⁻) concentration in K. candel leaves could be avoided.     

Understanding Saline and Osmotic Tolerance of Populus euphratica Suspended Cells

Tolerance of Populus euphratica suspended cells to ionic and osmotic stresses implemented respectively by NaCl and PEG (6000) was characterized by monitoring cell growth, morphological features, ion compartmentation and polypeptide patterns. The cells grew and proliferated when submitted to stresses of 137 mM NaCl or 250 g l⁻¹ PEG, and survived at 308 mM of NaCl, showing tolerance to saline and particularly osmotic stress. They were resistant to plasmolysis and had dense cytoplasms, large nuclei and nucleoli, and evident cytoplasmic strands under high saline and osmotic stress. The sequestration of Cl⁻ into the vacuoles was observed in the cells stressed with 137 and 223 mM NaCl. The cellular protein profile was modified by high salt and osmotic stress and showed 28 kDa polypeptides up-regulated by both NaCl and PEG, and 66 and 25 kDa polypeptides up-regulated only by high NaCl stress. The salt tolerance of P. euphratica cells might be related to their capacity of adapting to higher osmotic stress by maintaining cell integrity, sequestrating Cl⁻ into vacuoles and modulating polypeptides that reflect cellular metabolic adaptations.     

Iso-osmotic effect of NaCl and PEG on growth, cations and free proline accumulation in callus tissue of two indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes

One-month old calli of two indica rice genotypes, i.e., Basmati-370 and Basmati-Kashmir were subjected to two iso-osmotic concentrations (−0.57 MPa and −0.74 MPa) created with 50 and 100 mol m⁻³ NaCl or 10 and 18% solutions of PEG-8000. Both genotypes tolerated only low levels of stress and showed severe growth suppression at −0.74 MPa. The degree of stress tolerance of both genotypes was greater for PEG induced stress than for NaCl induced stress. The relative growth rate of callus was reduced under both stresses, however, the reverse was true for callus dry weight. Sodium (Na⁺) content of the callus tissue was increased only under NaCl induced stress. Salt induced stress reduced K⁺ and Ca²⁺ contents, but the PEG induced stress increased them. Higher levels of stress increased the proline content many folds with more increase being under PEG stress than that under NaCl. Water and osmotic potentials of the callus tissue decreased, whereas turgor potential increased under both abiotic stresses. Overall, Basmati-370 was more tolerant to both NaCl and PEG induced stresses than Basmati-Kashmir, because of less reduction in growth and more dry weight. Moreover, Basmati-370 accumulated higher amounts of cations, free proline, and maintained maximum turgor as compared to Basmati-Kashmir. In conclusion, at cellular level, mechanism of NaCl induced osmotic stress tolerance was found to be associated with more ionic accumulation of inorganic solutes and that of PEG induced osmotic stress tolerance with the accumulation of free proline, as an important osmolyte in the cytosol.     

Improvement of Cerium on Photosynthesis of Maize Seedlings Under a Combination of Potassium Deficiency and Salt Stress

Added Ce³⁺ can partly substitute for Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺ and improve photosynthesis under the deficiency of these elements, but very few studies focused on photosynthetic improvement in maize seedlings caused by K⁺ deficiency, salt stress, especially a combination of K⁺ deficiency and salt stress. In the present study, the effects of Ce³⁺ on the photosynthesis of maize seedlings under the three different stresses were investigated. The results showed that added Ce³⁺ under various stresses increased the ratios of free water/bound water and of K⁺/Na⁺, the pigment contents, the values of Fv/Fm, Y(II), ETR(II), Y(NPQ), Qp, qL, NPQ, and qN of photosystem II (PSII), the values of Y(I) and ETR(I) of photosystem I (PSI) and the expression levels of LhcII cab1 and rbcL, and decreased the values of Y(NO) and Y(NA). This implied that added Ce³⁺ depressed ion toxicity, photodamage of PSII, and acceptor side constraints of PSI, and enhanced adjustable energy dissipation, the responses of photochemistry, and carbon assimilation caused by K⁺ deficiency, salt stress, and the combination of K⁺ deficiency and salt stress. However, Ce³⁺ mitigation of photosynthetic inhibition in maize seedlings caused by the combined stresses was greater than that of salt stress, and Ce³⁺ mitigation under salt stress was greater than that under K⁺ deficiency. In addition, the results also showed that Ce³⁺ cannot improve photosynthesis and growth of maize seedlings under K⁺ deficiency by substituting for K⁺.