Effects of Exogenous Putrescine on Chlorophyll Fluorescence Imaging and Heat Dissipation Capacity in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Under Salt Stress

The objective of this study was to identify the effects of exogenous putrescine on photosynthetic performance and heat dissipation capacity in cucumber seedlings under salt stress. The stress of 75 mM NaCl for 7 days caused a significant decrease in net photosynthetic rate (P _N ). The experiment employed a chlorophyll fluorescence imaging technique and demonstrated that the maximal quantum yield of photosystem II photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and the actual photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (ΦPSII) were reduced by salt stress. Moreover, salt stress markedly reduced the photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) and non-photochemical quenching coefficient (qN), and significantly increased non-regulated heat dissipation (ΦNO). However, stressed plants supplied with exogenous putrescine exhibited higher P _N and ΦPSII, which indicated that putrescine can alleviate the detrimental effects on photosynthesis induced by salt stress. Putrescine sprayed on stressed plants significantly enhanced the regulated energy dissipation (ΦNPQ) and decreased ΦNO. Application of exogenous putrescine also changed the levels of xanthophyll cycle components and further enhanced the de-epoxidation state of xanthophyll cycle pigments under salt stress. Under control conditions, putrescine exerted little influence on the photosynthetic parameters in cucumber leaves. In conclusion, the application of exogenous putrescine may improve the heat dissipation capacity by promoting the xanthophyll cycle to reduce the damage caused by excess excitation energy, thus enhancing the salt tolerance of cucumber seedlings.     

外源硅对盐胁迫下黄瓜幼苗叶绿体活性氧清除系统的影响

以黄瓜为材料,研究了外源硅（K2SiO3 1．0mmol／L）对NaCl（50mmol/L）胁迫下黄瓜幼苗叶绿体中Na^＋、K^＋向叶绿体分配及活性氧清除系统的影响。结果表明：盐胁迫下硅处理使叶绿体在K^＋与Na^＋之间选择性吸收K^＋,从而降低了叶绿体内Na^＋的含量;同时Si处理可以显著降低盐胁迫下叶绿体中过氧化氢（H2O2）和丙二醛（MDA）含量,提高超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶（APX）、谷胱甘肽还原酶（GR）和脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶（DHAR）的活性及抗坏血酸（ASA）、还原型谷胱甘肽（GSH）含量。说明Si不仅能降低叶绿体对Na^＋的选择吸收,还能增强叶绿体活性氧清除系统清除活性氧的能力,缓解盐胁迫对叶绿体膜的伤害。     

Estimation and Analysis of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Leaf Cellular Heat Sensitivity

Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction by cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv Poinsett 76 and cv Ashley) leaf discs was used as a viability assay to examine the effect of temperature pretreatment on the tissue response to acute hyperthermia. Semi-logarithmic plots of TTC reduction as a function of incubation time at different temperatures from 40 to 60[deg]C resembled the heat survival curves of animal cells. Heat inactivation rates were obtained and subjected to "quasi" Arrhenius analyses by analytical methods derived from the animal studies. The Arrhenius plots of TTC reduction rates for cv Ashley leaf discs preincubated at 25 or 37[deg]C and for cv Poinsett 76 preincubated at 37[deg]C were linear with the same activation energy (Ea) of about 80 kcal mol-1. The Arrhenius plot of cv Poinsett 76 preincubated at 25[deg]C was nonlinear with an Ea of about 80 kcal mol-1 at temperatures below 46[deg]C and an Ea of about 27.5 kcal mol-1 at temperatures above 47[deg]C. The significance of these differences is discussed in terms of the role of protein denaturation in the thermal sensitivity of cucumber disc reduction of TTC and the applicability of these methods to the analysis of plant cellular heat sensitivity.     

NaCl胁迫对黄瓜根系边缘细胞发生的影响

以黄瓜为试材,研究了NaCl处理对植株生物量、根长、根系活力、根边缘细胞的数目和活性及黏胶层厚度的影响。结果表明,NaCl处理降低了植株生物量与根系长度,增加了黄瓜幼苗的根系活力。黄瓜边缘细胞的出现几乎与根同时发生,当根长达到25mm时,边缘细胞的数目与活性均达到最大值。NaCl处理对边缘细胞的数目与活性表现出一定的抑制作用。离体根尖的边缘细胞活性也随NaCl处理浓度与处理时间的增加而逐渐减小,但根边缘细胞黏胶层厚度却随NaCl处理浓度的增加而增加。总之,NaCl对黄瓜幼苗造成一定伤害,但根系边缘细胞可通过降解死亡与增加黏胶的分泌量在一定程度上减轻这种伤害程度。     

外源一氧化氮对镉胁迫下黄瓜幼苗生长、活性氧代谢和光合特性的影响

镉是植物生长的非必需元素,它具有很大的生物毒性,与其它重金属相比,更易被植物吸收积累。通过采用营养液水培试验的方法,研究了外源一氧化氮（Nitric oxide,NO）对不同浓度Cd^2＋（100μmol L^-1．300μmol L^-1,500μmol L^-1）胁迫下黄瓜幼苗生长、叶片光合特性以及活性氧代谢的影响。结果表明：300μmol L^-1NO供体硝普钠（Sodium nitrop russide,SNP）能显著缓解镉胁迫时黄瓜植株造成的伤害,对300μmol L^-1 Cd^2＋处理的黄瓜幼苗缓解效果最好,可提高幼苗的生长量,增强幼苗叶片超氧物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化物酶（POD）活性;提高了叶片叶绿素和脯氨酸（Pro）含量;降低了叶片内二醛（MDA）含量。     

A Comparison of the Effects of Chilling on Leaf Gas Exchange in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

The effects of chilling on the photosynthesis of a chilling-resistant species, pea (Pisum sativum L. cv Alaska) and a chilling-sensitive species, cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv Ashley) were compared in order to determine the differences in the photosynthetic chilling sensitivity of these two species. For these experiments, plants were chilled (5°C) for different lengths of time in the dark or light. Following a 1 hour recovery period at 25°C, photosynthetic activity was measured by gas exchange (CO₂ uptake and H₂O release), quantum yield, and induced chlorophyll fluorescence. The results show that pea photosynthesis was largely unaffected by two consecutive nights of chilling in the dark, or by chilling during a complete light and dark cycle (15 hours/9 hours). Cucumber gas exchange was reduced by one night of chilling, but its quantum yield and variable fluorescence were unaffected by dark chilling. However, chilling cucumber in the light led to reduced CO₂ fixation, increased internal leaf CO₂ concentration, decreased quantum yield, and loss of variable fluorescence. These results indicate that chilling temperatures in conjunction with light damaged the light reactions of photosynthesis, while chilling in the dark did not.     

黄瓜黄绿叶突变性状的遗传分析

在深绿叶的“地串”黄瓜品种单株自交后代群体中,分离出性状稳定的黄绿叶突变株系。遗传分析表明,突变株系的黄绿叶性状受一对隐性核基因控制。该性状在幼苗期表现,突变株能正常生存、繁殖,是一种可利用的形态标记。控制此性状的基因符号暂定名为yg1。 Abstract:A yellow green leaf character mutation in cucumber was isolated from a population of selfed individual plant of dark green leaf ‘De Chuan' cultivar.Genetic analysis showed that the yellow green leaf character was controlled by one pair of recessive nuclear genes.The character expressed at the seedling stage and the mutant plant have the ability to viable and propagate.It could be used as a morpholmarker.This yellow green leaf gene was provisionally designated as yg1.     

Photochlorophyll Biosynthesis in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus, L.) Cotyledons

The formation of protochlorophyllide and protochlorophyllide phytyl ester was investigated during etioplast biogenesis in order to study the biosynthetic relation of these two compounds. Protochlorophyllide accumulates slowly during the first 2 days of germination, its rate of formation increases sharply during the 3rd day, and then it decreases. Protochlorophyllide phytyl ester starts accumulating a day later; its formation coincides with the initiation of xanthophyll biosynthesis. Kinetic analysis of specific radioactivities after ¹⁴C labeling of the protochlorophyll pools does not support the currently accepted conversion of protochlorophyllide into protochlorophyllide phytyl ester, but suggests that both compounds originate simultaneously from a common precursor pool.     

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Knowing the extent and structure of genetic variation in germplasm collections is essential for the conservation and utilization of biodiversity in cultivated plants. Cucumber is the fourth most important vegetable crop worldwide and is a model system for other Cucurbitaceae, a family that also includes melon, watermelon, pumpkin and squash. Previous isozyme studies revealed a low genetic diversity in cucumber, but detailed insights into the crop''s genetic structure and diversity are largely missing. We have fingerprinted 3,342 accessions from the Chinese, Dutch and U.S. cucumber collections with 23 highly polymorphic Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers evenly distributed in the genome. The data reveal three distinct populations, largely corresponding to three geographic regions. Population 1 corresponds to germplasm from China, except for the unique semi-wild landraces found in Xishuangbanna in Southwest China and East Asia; population 2 to Europe, America, and Central and West Asia; and population 3 to India and Xishuangbanna. Admixtures were also detected, reflecting hybridization and migration events between the populations. The genetic background of the Indian germplasm is heterogeneous, indicating that the Indian cucumbers maintain a large proportion of the genetic diversity and that only a small fraction was introduced to other parts of the world. Subsequently, we defined a core collection consisting of 115 accessions and capturing over 77% of the SSR alleles. Insight into the genetic structure of cucumber will help developing appropriate conservation strategies and provides a basis for population-level genome sequencing in cucumber.     

Effects of Acifluorfen on Endogenous Antioxidants and Protective Enzymes in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Cotyledons

The herbicide acifluorfen (2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy-2-nitrobenzoate) causes strong photooxidative destruction of pigments and lipids in sensitive plant species. Antioxidants and oxygen radical scavengers slow the bleaching action of the herbicide. The effect of acifluorfen on glutathione and ascorbate levels in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cotyledon discs was investigated to assess the relationship between herbicide activity and endogenous antioxidants. Acifluorfen decreased the levels of glutathione and ascorbate over 50% in discs exposed to less than 1.5 hours of white light (450 microeinsteins per square meter per second). Coincident increases in dehydroascorbate and glutathione disulfide were not observed. Acifluorfen also caused the rapid depletion of ascorbate in far-red light grown plants which were photosynthetically incompetent.

Glutathione reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate oxidase, ascorbate free radical reductase, peroxidase, and catalase activities rapidly decreased in acifluorfen-treated tissue exposed to white light. None of the enzymes were inhibited in vitro by the herbicide. Acifluorfen causes irreversible photooxidative destruction of plant tissue, in part, by depleting endogenous antioxidants and inhibiting the activities of protective enzymes.

     

多裂骆驼蓬的生物碱对黄瓜种子萌发的影响

经多裂骆驼蓬中生物碱处理过的黄瓜种子吸水量、呼吸速率、α-淀粉酶活性、GA1_( 3)和ATP含量均下降,种子膜透性增大,丙二醛含量提高;子叶中异柠檬酸裂解酶和羟基丙酮酸还原酶活性以及超弱发光(UWL)值也受到明显抑制。其抑制或促进作用的程度均随着多裂骆驼蓬中生物碱浓度的提高而增强。     

Characteristics of Radial Solution Flow in Roots of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Low salt roots of Cucumis sativus L. cv. Burpeeana Hybrid weresubjected to iso-ionic treatments in which the external solutionconcentration of K⁺ was maintained at 14 mM. Solution concentrationof varied from 0 to 14 mM, other anions compensating. When Cl^– was the compensating ion, its concentrationin the exudate increased during the first 4 h and thereafterwas nearly the same as that of the external solution in alltreatments containing I mM or more. After 8 h of equilibration the concentration in the exudate increased almost exactly as its concentrationin the external solution. Rates of exudation and K⁺ transportwere almost constant between I and 14 mM KNO₂. More Cl^–was transported from solutions of similar Cl– concentrationwhen was also present. When water transport was inhibited with mannitol in treatments containing both KNO₃and KCI, exudate concentrations of K⁺ and were increased, but exudate concentration of Cl^– was notsignificantly affected except at the highest Cl     

低氧胁迫对不同耐性黄瓜品种根系抗氧化系统的影响

低氧胁迫下,两品种黄瓜幼苗根中活性氧、丙二醛(MDA)和抗氧化剂含量以及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)和脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶(DHAR)活性均显著提高,耐低氧性较强的‘绿霸春4号’根中活性氧和丙二醛含量上升幅度小于耐低氧性较弱的‘中农8号’,而保护酶活性和还原型抗氧化剂含量提高幅度大于‘中农8号’。     

Metabolism of Exogenous Indoleacetic Acid to Its Amide Conjugates in Cucumis sativus L

Incubation of hypocotyl segments of light-grown Cucumis sativus L. in 0.1 millimolar 3-indoleacetic acid for 16 hours led to the formation of indoleacetylaspartate and indoleacetylglutamate. There was no evidence for the formation of other conjugates of 3-indoleacetic acid with individual amino acids during the period from 4 to 48 hours of incubation. Indoleacetylglutamate reached its maximum concentration after about 4 hours of incubation and indoleacetylaspartate after about 8 hours. These levels remained unchanged for at least 40 hours. Indoleacetylaspartate caused small increases in cucumber hypocotyl segment growth at high concentrations, 1 millimolar being more effective than 0.1 millimolar.     

A Comparison of the Effects of Chilling on Thylakoid Electron Transfer in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Experiments comparing the photosynthetic responses of a chilling-resistant species (Pisum sativum L. cv Alaska) and a chilling-sensitive species (Cucumis sativus L. cv Ashley) have shown that cucumber photosynthesis is adversely affected by chilling temperatures in the light, while pea photosynthesis is not inhibited by chilling in the light. To further investigate the site of the differential response of these two species to chilling stress, thylakoid membranes were isolated under various conditions and rates of photosynthetic electron transfer were determined. Preliminary experiments revealed that the integrity of cucumber thylakoids from 25°C-grown plants was affected by the isolation temperature; cucumber thylakoids isolated at 5°C in 400 millimolar NaCl were uncoupled, while thylakoids isolated at room temperature in 400 millimolar NaCl were coupled, as determined by addition of gramicidin. The concentration of NaCl in the homogenization buffer was found to be a critical factor in the uncoupling of cucumber thylakoids at 5°C. In contrast, pea thylakoid membranes were not influenced by isolation temperatures or NaCl concentrations. In a second set of experiments, thylakoid membranes were isolated from pea and cucumber plants at successive intervals during a whole-plant light period chilling stress (5°C). During wholeplant chilling, thylakoids isolated from cucumber plants chilled in the light were uncoupled even when the membranes were isolated at warm temperatures. Pea thylakoids were not uncoupled by the whole-plant chilling treatment. The difference in integrity of thylakoid membrane coupling following chilling in the light demonstrates a fundamental difference in photosynthetic function between these two species that may have some bearing on why pea is a chilling-resistant plant and cucumber is a chilling-sensitive plant.     

外源NO对盐胁迫下黑麦草幼苗活性氧代谢、多胺含量和光合作用的影响

采用溶液培养法研究了外源一氧化氮(nitric oxide,NO)供体硝普钠(sodium nitroprusside,SNP)对100 mmol·L^-1 NaCl胁迫下黑麦草幼苗生长、活性氧代谢、多胺含量和光合作用的影响。结果表明,50 μmol·L^-1 SNP显著提高盐胁迫下黑麦草幼苗叶片的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性及谷胱甘肽(GSH)、精胺(Spm)、亚精胺(Spd)含量和(Spm+Spd)/Put比值,降低了腐胺(Put)、超氧阴离子(O^—·₂)、H₂O₂和丙二醛(MDA)含量,使幼苗叶片叶绿素和类胡萝卜素含量、净光合速率(P_n)和气孔导度(G_s)升高,胞间CO₂浓度(C_i)下降,相对生长量增加。叶绿素荧光动力学资料显示,SNP处理降低盐胁迫下黑麦草叶片的初始荧光(F₀),表明它对光合膜系统具有保护效应。SNP处理不仅提高了盐胁迫下叶片的最大荧光(F_m)、PSⅡ潜在光化学效率(F_v/F₀)和PSⅡ最大光化学效率(F_v/F_m),而且提高了PSⅡ实际光化学效率(Φ_PSⅡ)、光化学荧光猝灭系数(q_P)、表观光合电子传递速率(ETR)和光化学速率(PCR),降低了非光化学荧光猝灭系数(NPQ)和天线热耗散(D),而1 mmol·L^-1 NO清除剂PTIO和0.5 μmol·L^-1 NaNO₂处理(对照)则无此效应。由此表明,外源NO可能通过提高植株的抗氧化能力及光能的捕获与转换而增强盐胁迫下黑麦草叶片的光合能力,从而缓解盐胁迫对幼苗生长的抑制作用。     

Flower Formation In vitro by Hypocotyl Explants of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Hypocotyl explants of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) producedcallus when grown in Murashige and Skoog medium with 0.5 or1.0 µM benzyladenine and 1.5 or 5.0 µm 2, 4-D. Somaticembryos and adventitious buds were formed when callus was transferredto medium without growth regulators. Flowers that were formedin vitro were either staminate or pistillate. Cucumis sativus L, cucumber, embryogenesis, organogenesis, flowering in vitro     

Induction by Electric Currents of Ethylene Biosynthesis in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Fruit

The effects of an electric current on ethylene biosynthesis were investigated in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit that were producing almost no ethylene. Direct currents at 0.5 to 3.0 milliamperes induced much ethylene synthesis, with a rapid continuous increase in the rate, which reached a peak within 5 to 6 hours and then decreased. The rate of production was greater with a stronger current. Ethylene production was not observed after the use of a sine-wave alternating current (60 hertz) at 3 milliamperes, the magnitude at which a direct current had the greatest effect. The activity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase and ethylene forming enzyme (EFE) increased before the rise in ethylene production. ACC synthase and EFE were activated sixfold and fourfold, respectively, by 2 hours. The concentration of ACC increased linearly up to 6 hours and then decreased. Ethylene induction by an electric current was suppressed almost completely by the infiltration of the cucumbers with 5 millimolar aminooxyacetic acid, an inhibitor of ACC synthase, and was also suppressed 70% by 5 millimolar salicylic acid, an inhibitor of EFE. The results indicate that the ethylene induced by the direct current was synthesized via the ACC-ethylene pathway as a result of electrical stress, a new kind of stress to be identified.     

Genetics and Resistance Mechanism of the Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Against Powdery Mildew

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Powdery mildew (PM) is one of the most severe foliar diseases in cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.), but the inheritance of PM resistance remains unclear. The...