Relationship between tomato fruit growth and fruit osmotic potential under salinity

To investigate the relationship between fruit growth and fruit osmotic potential (Ψ_s) in salty conditions, a sensitive tomato cultivar (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and a tolerant accession of the wild species Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium Mill. were grown in a greenhouse with 0 and 70 mM NaCl, and the growth of the fruit studied from 15 to 70 days after anthesis (DAA). L. pimpinellifolium did not reduce significantly fruit weight in salty conditions throughout the growth period, whereas L. esculentum fruit weights decreased significantly with salinity from 45 DAA. L. esculentum fruit fresh weight reductions resulted from both less dry matter and water accumulation, although the fruit water content was affected by salinity before the fruit weight. In both species, fruit osmotic potential (Ψ_s) decreased significantly with salinity during the rapid fruit growth phase, although the changes were different. Thus, fruits from L. pimpinellifolium salt treated plants showed a Ψ_s reduction at the beginning (15 DAA) twice as high as that found in L. esculentum. As the advanced growth stage (from 15 to 55 DAA), the Ψ_s reduction percentages induced by salinity were quite similar in L. pimpinellifolium fruits, while increased in L. esculentum. Under saline conditions, the solutes contributing to reduce the fruit Ψ_s during the first 55 DAA were the inorganic solutes in both species, while in the ripe fruits they were hexoses. L. esculentum fruits accumulated K⁺ as the main osmoticum in salty conditions, while L. pimpinellifolium fruits were able to use not only K⁺ but also the Na⁺ provided by the salt.     

Proline as a biochemical marker in relation to the ecology of two halophytic Juncus species

Aims Osmolytes, used for maintaining osmotic balance and as 'osmoprotectants', are synthesized in plants as a general, conserved response to abiotic stress, although their contribution to stress-tolerance mechanisms remains unclear. Proline, the most common osmolyte, accumulates in many plant species in parallel with increased external salinity and is considered a reliable biochemical marker of salt stress. We have measured proline levels in two halophytic, closely related Juncus species under laboratory and field conditions to assess the possible relevance of proline biosynthesis for salt tolerance and therefore for the ecology of these two taxa.Methods Proline was quantified in plants treated with increasing NaCl concentrations and in plants sampled in two salt marshes located in the provinces of Valencia and Alicante, respectively, in southeast Spain. Electrical conductivity, pH, Na + and Cl ? concentrations were measured in soil samples collected in parallel with the plant material.Important findings Treatment with NaCl inhibited growth of J. acutus plants in a concentration-dependent manner, but only under high salt conditions for J. maritimus. Salt treatments led to proline accumulation in both species, especially in the more salt-tolerant J. maritimus. The results, obtained under laboratory conditions, were confirmed in plants sampled in the field. In all the samplings, proline contents were significantly lower in J. acutus than in the more tolerant J. maritimus growing in the same area. No direct correlation between soil salinity and proline levels could be established, but seasonal variations were detected, with increased proline contents under accentuated water deficit conditions. Our results suggest that proline biosynthesis is not only an induced, general response to salt stress but also an important contributing factor in the physiological mechanisms of salt tolerance in Juncus, and that it therefore correlates with the ecology of both species.     

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.     

Ameliorative Effect by Calcium on NaCI Salinity Stress Related to Proline Metabolism in the Callus of Centella asiatica L

Soil salinity affects plant growth and development by way of osmotic stress. Compatible osmolytes are potent osmoprotectants that playa role in counteracting the effect of saline stress. Proline biosynthesis and catabolism were investigated in both the control and salt stressed calli. Proline content showed a steady increase in the calli of all NaCI treated media. Calli on CaCl₂ containing media did not show any increase in proline level compared to control calli. When the salinized media were supplemented with CaCl₂ the proline level drastically increased compared to the corresponding calli grown on salt alone. Similarly, the activity of proline biosynthetic enzyme, pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) under salt stress was higher in NaCl + CaCl₂ supplemented medium than the calli on the salinized medium alone. This suggested that the alleviation effect of calcium under saline condition was through modulation of the enzyme complexes that accelerate the rate of proline biosynthesis under salt stress. Similarly, the activity of proline degrading enzyme, proline oxidase was found to be lower in calli of all salt stressed media than control.     

脯氨酸在植物生长和非生物胁迫耐受中的作用

脯氨酸是生物界分布最广的渗透保护物质之一,干旱、高盐、高温及重金属等非生物胁迫条件都会导致植物体内脯氨酸含量的增加,其作用是防止渗透胁迫对植物造成的伤害、清除自由基,还可以作为氮、碳以及NADPH的重要来源。近年来,在转化脯氨酸代谢相关基因提高植物胁迫抗性方面也取得了很大进展。本文概要介绍了脯氨酸在植物生长和耐受非生物胁迫中的作用、与植物脯氨酸累积有关的信号转导、胁迫条件下脯氨酸的吸收和器官间的运输途径,以及通过转基因技术过量表达脯氨酸提高植物胁迫耐性的代谢工程的进展。     

Effect of salinity on osmotic adjustment,proline accumulation and possible role of ornithine-δ-aminotransferase in proline biosynthesis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cakile maritima</Emphasis>

The short time response to salt stress was studied in Cakile maritima. Plants were exposed to different salt concentrations (0, 100, 200 and 400 mM NaCl) and harvested after 4, 24, 72 and 168 h of treatment. Before harvesting plants, tissue hydration, osmotic potential, inorganic and organic solute contents, and ornithine-δ-aminotransferase activity were measured. Plants of C. maritima maintained turgor and tissue hydration at low osmotic potential mainly at 400 mM NaCl. The results showed that, in leaves and stems, Na⁺ content increased significantly after the first 4 h of treatment. However, in roots, the increase of Na⁺ content remained relatively unchanged with increasing salt. The K⁺ content decreased sharply at 200 and 400 mM NaCl with treatment duration. This decrease was more pronounced in roots. The content of proline and amino acids increased with increasing salinity and treatment duration. These results indicated that the accumulation of inorganic and organic compounds was a central adaptive mechanism by which C. maritima maintained intracellular ionic balance under saline conditions. However, their percentage contribution to total osmotic adjustment varies from organ to organ; for example, Na⁺ accumulation mainly contributes in osmotic adjustment of stem tissue (60%). Proline contribution to osmotic adjustment reached 36% in roots. In all organs, proline as well as δ-OAT activity increased with salt concentration and treatment duration. Under normal growth conditions, δ-OAT is mainly involved in the mobilization of nitrogen required for plant growth. However, the highly significant positive correlation between proline and δ-OAT activity under salt-stress conditions suggests that ornithine pathway contributed to proline synthesis.     

Accumulation of organic and inorganic solutes in the subantarctic cruciferous species Pringlea antiscorbutica in response to saline and cold stresses

Pringlea antiscorbutica R. Br., a subantarctic endemic cruciferous species, is endangered in its natural sites by several ecological changes. This species is tolerant to salinity and a permanent cold temperature on Kerguelen and Crozet Islands. We attempted the investigation of regulating mechanisms of osmotic adjustment in this species. ¹³C NMR analyses of water-soluble compounds from leaves collected from the field revealed glucose and proline to be the main accumulated organic solutes. Colorimetric determinations in these samples showed that proline and soluble carbohydrates were present at remarkably high levels. When young plants were cultivated in growth chambers they showed a good resistance to cold and medium resistance to saline conditions. High levels of soluble carbohydrates were present in all situations. Proline was accumulated in response to a saline and a cold treatment. The quantitative variations of the pool of proline in response to saline treatments were rapid and important. The adaptive value of these responses of organic solutes in the tolerance of Pringlea antiscorbutica to various stresses is discussed. Received: 16 June 1997 / Accepted: 5 May 1998     

Seagrass-salinity interactions: Physiological mechanisms used by submersed marine angiosperms for a life at sea

Due to the nature of coastal and estuarine systems, seagrasses must be able to tolerate short-term salinity fluctuations including both hyposaline and hypersaline conditions. Salt tolerance can be achieved, in part, through vacuolar ion sequestering (mostly Na⁺, K⁺, and Cl⁻) and cytosolic osmolyte accumulation (K⁺ and organic osmolytes), with differences in cellular ion levels attributed to selective ion flux and ion partitioning between the cytoplasm and vacuole (with lower cytoplasmic-to-vacuolar ratios favoring higher cellular Na⁺ concentrations). The hydrophilic nature of organic compounds such as organic acids, soluble carbohydrates, and free amino acids allow them to serve as osmoprotectants and low-molecular-weight chaperones which diminishes the inhibitory effects of potentially harmful ions on metabolic processes. Nevertheless, some carbohydrate studies on seagrasses have shown decreased soluble sugar content with increased salinities. During salt stress, carbohydrates are likely converted to other organic compounds that would better facilitate osmotic adjustment in these plants. This is further supported by observed decreases in sucrose-P synthase (a key enzyme involved in sucrose synthesis) activities in seagrass exposed to higher salinities. While modifications in ion flux and organic solute levels often follow changes in environmental salinities, these adjustments are relatively slow (hours to days). Therefore, the initial response to sudden salinity change will include rapid alterations in turgor pressure driven by water flux in the direction of the osmotic gradient. The rate of water movement depends largely on the hydraulic conductivity of the plasmalemma and the elastic properties of the cell wall (bulk elastic modulus; Є). Observations on cell wall elasticity indicate that some seagrasses maintain fairly rigid walls (high Є values), thereby limiting the amount of water influx during hypoosmotic stress. Although high Є would be beneficial to open-water coastal plants living in relatively stable saline environments, in estuaries where salinities fluctuate considerably over shorter intervals, high Є could promote flaccid cells with no turgor pressure during hyperosmotic conditions. Hypo- and hyperosmotic conditions also inhibit photosynthesis in seagrasses. Decreases in photosynthesis have been attributed to declines in chlorophyll content, changes in chloroplast ultrastructure, disruptions of electron flow through photosystems, and inhibitions of key photosynthetic enzymes. The uptake of nutrients can also be strongly influenced by salinity. High affinity Na⁺-dependent nutrient transport systems (for NO₃⁻, H₂PO₄⁻, and HPO₄⁻²) which benefit from the inwardly driving force for Na⁺ have been observed in seagrasses. Nitrate reductase, the key enzyme involved in nitrate reduction/ assimilation, also has elevated activities at higher salinities which would agree with Na⁺-dependent NO₃⁻ transport. While our basic understanding of how seagrasses survive in saline environments is increasing, it still lags well behind marine algae and terrestrial halophytes. It is likely that further investigations will reveal unique physiological adaptations that have not been observed in other plants.     

Accumulation of proline in a submerged aquatic halophyte,Ruppia L.

Summary Osmoregulation in the aquatic halophyte Ruppia was examined as part of a wider study of mechanisms of salt tolerance within the genus. The tissue fluids of the three species R. megacarpa Mason, R. polycarpa Mason and R. tuberosa Davis and Tomlinson, were always hypertonic to the surrounding water. The organic solute proline was accumulated, possibly as a mechanism to counteract the effects of high external salinities. Proline content increased with the salinity of the habitat in all three species. In general proline content increased while plant growth was active and declined later in the growing season. If the assumptions that proline is confined to the cytoplasm and that the cytoplasm comprises 10% of the cell volume are made for these submerged aquatic plants, proline is estimated to generate a solute concentration in this compartment equivalent to up to 50% of the total solute concentration of the external habitat.     

Water relations and osmotic adjustment in Lycopersicon esculentum and L. pennellii during short-term salt exposure and recovery

Cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum (L.) Mill. cv. P-73 and its wild salt-tolerant relative L. pennellii (Correll) D'Arcy accession PE-47 growing on silica sand in a growth chamber were exposed to 0, 70, 140 and 210 m M NaCl nutrient solutions 35 days after sowing. The saline treatments were imposed for 4 days, after which the plants were rinsed with distilled water. Salinity in L. esculentum reduced leaf area and leaf and shoot dry weights. The reductions were more pronounced when sodium chloride was removed from the root medium. Reduction in leaf area and weight in L. pennellii was only observed after the recovery period. In both genotypes salinity induced a progressive reduction in leaf water potential and leaf conductance. During the recovery period leaf water potential (ψ₁) and leaf conductance (g₁) reached levels similar to those of control plants in wild and cultivated species, respectively. Leaf osmotic potential at full turgor (ψ_os) decreased in the salt treated plants of both genotypes, whereas the bulk modulus of elasticity was not affected by salinity. Leaf water potential at turgor loss point (ψ_tlp) and relative water content at turgor loss point (RWC_tlp) appeared to be controlled by leaf osmotic potential at full turgor (ψ_os) and by bulk modulus of elasticity, respectively. At lowest salinity, the wild species carried out the osmotic adjustment based almost exclusively on Cl⁻ and Na⁺, with a marked energy savings. Under highest salinity, this species accommodate the stress through a higher expenditure of energy due to the contribution of organic solutes to the osmotic adjustment. The domesticated species carried out the osmotic adjustment based always on an important contribution of organic solutes.     

Physiological responses to salt stress in young umbu plants

Soil salinity affects plant growth and development due to harmful ion effects and water stress caused by reduced osmotic potential in the soil solution. In order to evaluate the effects of salt stress in young umbu plants, research was performed in green house conditions at the Laboratory of Plant Physiology at Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Growth, stomatal behaviour, water relations, and both inorganic and organic solutes were studied aiming for a better understanding of the responses of umbu plants to increasing salinity. Plants were grown in washed sand with Hoagland and Arnon nutrient solution with 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM NaCl. Growth, leaf water potential, transpiration, and diffusive resistance were evaluated. Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, soluble carbohydrates, and free amino acid contents were measured in several plant organs. Most variables were affected with salinity above 50 mM NaCl showing decreases in: number of leaves, plant height, stems diameter, and dry masses, and increases in root-to-shoot ratio. Reductions in ψ_pd were observed in plants grown under 75 and 100 mM NaCl. All salt levels above zero increased Na⁺ and Cl⁻ contents in leaves. However, K⁺ content was not affected. Na⁺ and Cl⁻ in stems and roots reached saturation in treatments above 50 mM NaCl. Organic solute accumulation in response to salt stress was not observed in umbu plants. These results suggest that umbu plants tolerate salt levels up to 50 mM NaCl without showing significant physio-morphological alterations.     

Intervarietal Differences in the Amino Acid Composition of Pea Roots as Related to their Response to Salinity

The salt tolerance of three cultivars of Pisum sativum L. asdefined by root growth on saline substrate was in the orderDan > Alaska > Laxton Progress. The total content of freeamino acids decreased in Alaska, but not in Laxton Progress,with increasing salinity, while the content of the free basicamino acids increased with salinity. In both cultivars salinityinduced accumulation of free proline, but not enough to maintainthe osmotic adaptation of the cytoplasm. Proline accumulationcould not account for the greater tolerance of the Alaska cultivar.Both cultivars contain large amounts of glutamic acid and homoserine.The amino acid composition of protein of the Alaska cultivaris affected much more by salinity than is that of Laxton Progress.In Alaska salinity induces an increase in aspartic and glutamicacids, threonine, serine, leucine and isoleucine. The totalcontent of basic amino acids decreases with salinity. The proteinof Laxton Progress is very rich in leucine and its amount slightlydecreases with salinity. In the most tolerant cultivar, Dan,there is more proline in the protein than in the other two cultivarsand its content of leucine increases with salinity. The onlyfeatures which show some correlation with salinity toleranceare proline content (Dan > Alaska > Laxton Progress) andan increase in leucine content in the protein, with increasingsalinity. Pisum sativum L, pea, amino acid composition of roots, salinity     

Short-term salt tolerance mechanisms in differentially salt tolerant tomato species

The physiological changes induced by a daily increase of NaCl level, over a period of 4 d, were studied in leaves of the salt-sensitive cultivated tomato species Lycopersicon esculentum and its wild salt-tolerant relative Lycopersicon pennellii. A higher solute contribution to the osmotic adjustment was observed in NaCl-treated leaves of L. pennellii than in those of L. esculentum. This response together with the higher accumulation of inorganic solutes in the wild species and of organic solutes in the cultivated species verified the different salt tolerance mechanisms operating in the two species in the short-term. With regard to the changes induced by salt stress on the free polyamine levels, the putrescine and spermine levels increased with salinity, whereas the spermine levels decreased in both tomato species; nevertheless, the main difference between the two species lays in an earlier and greater accumulation of putrescine induced by salinity in L. pennellii than in L. esculentum. The changes in putrescine levels were associated to changes in amino acids related to its synthesis, and the changes were different in both species. In L. esculentum, the high concentrations of some intermediate compounds (glutamate and arginine) were related to the low accumulation rate of both proline and putrescine. In contrast, in L. pennellii, important reductions in glutamate and arginine levels were found at the end of the salinization period. Moreover, in this last situation, a decline in the putrescine level ran parallel to a high proline accumulation, which suggests that the higher the stress level, the higher the deviation of glutamate to proline occurring in the salt tolerant species. It could be concluded that an early accumulation of the diamine putrescine seems to be associated with salt tolerance in the short-term.     

Salt Tolerance in the Triticeae: Growth and Solute Accumulation in Leaves of Thinopyrum bessarabicum

Gorham, J., McDonnell, E., Budrewicz, E. and Wyn Jones, R. G.1985. Salt tolerance in the Triticeae: growth and solute accumulationin leaves of Thinopyrum bessarabicum.—J. exp. Bot. 36:1021–1031. The diploid wheatgrass Thinopyrum bessarabicum was found towithstand prolonged exposure to 350 mol m^–3 NaCl in hydroponicculture. During the gradual addition of salt to the externalmedium, osmotic adjustment was rapidly achieved by the accumulationof Na and Cl. Following osmotic adjustment constant leaf Naand Cl concentrations were maintained, and K was retained ata high level. Thinopyrum bessarabicum may be described as anosmoconformer, adjusting its internal osmotic pressure to 400–500mOsmol kg^–1 above that of the external medium in hydroponicculture. Both slower shoot initiation and reduced leaf lengthcontributed to the reduced growth rates at higher salinities.Leaf width was not affected. Increasing salinity resulted inincreases in leaf concentrations of phosphate, glycinebetaine,sucrose and proline, and in decreases in the concentrationsof nitrate, sulphate, magnesium, calcium, total amino acidsand organic acids. Thinopyrum bessarabicum exhibits salt tolerancecharacters which may be useful in wheat breeding. Key words: Salt stress, solute accumulation, osmotic adjustment, Thinopyrum     

NaCl effects on proline metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings

Salt-stress effects on osmotic adjustment, ion and proline concentrations as well as proline metabolizing enzyme activities were studied in two rice ( Oryza sativa L.) cultivars differing in salinity resistance: I Kong Pao (IKP; salt-sensitive) and Nona Bokra (salt-resistant). The salt-sensitive cultivar exposed to 50 and 100 m M NaCl in nutritive solution for 3 and 10 days accumulated higher levels of sodium and proline than the salt-resistant cultivar and displayed lower levels of osmotic adjustment. Proline accumulation was not related to proteolysis and could not be explained by stress-induced modifications in Δ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR; EC 1.5.1.2) or proline dehydrogenase (PDH; EC 1.5.1.2) activities recorded in vitro. The extracted ornithine Δ -aminotransferase (OAT; EC 2.6.1.13) activity was increased by salt stress in the salt-sensitive cultivar only. In both genotypes, salt stress induced an increase in the aminating activity of root glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.2) while deaminating activity was reduced in the leaves of the salt-sensitive cultivar. The total extracted glutamine synthetase activity (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) was reduced in response to salinity but NaCl had contrasting effects on GS1 and GS2 isoforms in salt-sensitive IKP. Salinity increased the activity of ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT; EC 1.4.7.1) extracted from leaves of both genotypes and increased the activity of NADH-dependent glutamate synthase (NADH-GOGAT; EC 1.4.1.14) in the salt-sensitive cultivar. It is suggested that proline accumulation is a symptom of salt-stress injury in rice and that its accumulation in salt-sensitive plants results from an increase in OAT activity and an increase in the endogenous pool of its precursor glutamate. The physiological significance of the recorded changes are analyzed in relation to the functions of these enzymes in plant metabolism.     

Accumulation of osmolytes and osmotic adjustment in water-stressed wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays) as affected by calcium and its antagonists

Maize (Zea mays) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) were water stressed for 4 days at early vegetative growth (15-day-old) using PEG-6000 (−1.0 MPa), in the presence of 1 mM CaSO₄, 50 μM Verapamil (VP; calcium channel blocker); 50 μM Trifluoperazine (TFP; calmodulin antagonist) and then put to recovery in order to investigate the changes in osmoregulation in plants having C₃ and C₄ metabolism. Accumulation of proline (Pro) and quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC's), activities of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR), proline dehydrogenase (PDH), water potential (Ψ_w), osmotic adjustment (OA), relative elongation rate (RER) and electrolyte leakage (EL) were examined during stress and recovery. Maize had significantly higher accumulation of Pro while wheat showed relatively more accumulation of QAC's. The activities of P5CR and PO were also significantly higher in maize than wheat. Maize shoots under stress showed higher Ψ_w, OA, RER and less EL than wheat shoots. Upon recovery from stress, maize regained its growth and water potential faster than wheat. Ca²⁺ elevated the accumulation of osmolytes in both the plants but OA was less sensitive to it. In the presence of Ca²⁺, wheat showed significantly more accumulation of osmolytes, higher Ψ_w, RER than maize. Ca²⁺ inhibitors partially reversed the effects of calcium indicating its involvement in governing solute accumulation. The differential sensitivity of maize and wheat towards water stress may be related to variation in endogenous calcium expression and its function.     

Dynamic metabonomic responses of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants to salt stress

Metabolic responses are important for plant adaptation to osmotic stresses. To understand the dosage and duration dependence of salinity effects on plant metabolisms, we analyzed the metabonome of tobacco plants and its dynamic responses to salt treatments using NMR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate data analysis. Our results showed that the tobacco metabonome was dominated by 40 metabolites including organic acids/bases, amino acids, carbohydrates and choline, pyrimidine, and purine metabolites. A dynamic trajectory was clearly observable for the tobacco metabonomic responses to the dosage of salinity. Short-term low-dose salt stress (50 mM NaCl, 1 day) caused metabolic shifts toward gluconeogenesis with depletion of pyrimidine and purine metabolites. Prolonged salinity with high-dose salt (500 mM NaCl) induced progressive accumulation of osmolytes, such as proline and myo-inositol, and changes in GABA shunt. Such treatments also promoted the shikimate-mediated secondary metabolisms with enhanced biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids. Therefore, salinity caused systems alterations in widespread metabolic networks involving transamination, TCA cycle, gluconeogenesis/glycolysis, glutamate-mediated proline biosynthesis, shikimate-mediated secondary metabolisms, and the metabolisms of choline, pyrimidine, and purine. These findings provided new insights for the tobacco metabolic adaptation to salinity and demonstrated the NMR-based metabonomics as a powerful approach for understanding the osmotic effects on plant biochemistry.     

不同基因型茶菊对盐胁迫的响应

为探讨不同基因型茶菊(tea Chrysanthemum)在盐胁迫下的生理响应并对其进行耐盐性评价, 以4个不同基因型茶菊为材料, 采用营养液浇灌法, 研究了不同浓度NaCl (0、40、80、120、160、200 mmol·L^-1)胁迫下茶菊生理生化和光合生理响应特性。结果表明: 随着NaCl胁迫程度加大, 不同基因型茶菊叶片细胞膜透性(Cond)、丙二醛(MDA)含量、叶片脯氨酸(Pro)含量和可溶性糖(SS)含量增加; 超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)含量呈先升后降趋势; ‘乳荷’、‘黄滁龙’叶绿素(Chl)含量持续下降, ‘繁白露’和‘玉人面’叶绿素含量呈先升后降的趋势; 净光合速率(P_n)、蒸腾速率(T_r)和气孔导度(G_s)随NaCl胁迫浓度提高而极显著降低, 气孔限制值呈先升后降的趋势。采用隶属函数法对茶菊进行耐盐性评价, 不同基因型茶菊耐盐性由强到弱依次为‘乳荷’ > ‘玉人面’ > ‘繁白露’ > ‘黄滁龙’。其中, 耐盐性品种‘玉人面’、‘乳荷’在NaCl胁迫下, Chl含量、P_n、T_r和G_s下降幅度小, MDA含量和气孔限制值增幅较小。     

A relationship between potassium and proline accumulation in salt-stressed Sorghum bicolor

The amount of total monovalent cations in leaves of Sorghum bicolor , L. Moench, RS 610, which were exposed to salinity stress, was a function of both the osmotic potential and the concentration of K⁺ of growth media. The plants have a Na⁺ exclusion mechanism that keeps the level of Na⁺ in leaves low. Thus, most of the osmotic adjustment in leaves was due to K⁺. Proline did not start to accumulate in leaves until the concentration of total monovalent cations in leaves reached a threshold of approximately 200 μmol/g fresh weight. Above this threshold, the contents of prolioe and monovalent cations in leaves increased with increasing salinity of the medium. The ratio of proline to monovalent cation was 5% of that amount of monovalent cation in excess of the threshold concentration. Therefore, if the cations are located in the vacuoles and proline accumulates in the cytoplasm, then the amount of accumulated proline is sufficient to act as a balancing osmoticum across the tonoplast. Very little proline accumulated in roots because this tissue contained much less total monovalent cations than leaves from the same salt-stressed plants. The same threshold of 200 μmol/g fresh weight of total monovalent cations was required in roots as in leaves to initiate proline accumulation.     

Proline and glycine betaine accumulation in two succulent halophytes under natural and experimental conditions

Proline (Pro) and glycine betaine (GB) contents were determined in two Mediterranean halophytes, Plantago crassifolia and Inula crithmoides, to assess their possible role in salt tolerance of both taxa. Plant material was collected in a littoral salt marsh under different environmental conditions, and from plants subjected to salt treatments in a growth chamber. Relative growth inhibition by NaCl indicated that I. crithmoides is more salt-tolerant than P. crassifolia, in agreement with the distribution of the two species in nature. Field and laboratory data confirmed GB as the major osmolyte responsible for osmotic adjustment in I. crithmoides, but with only a minor role – if any – as “osmoprotectant” in the salt tolerance of P. crassifolia. Under natural conditions, Pro contents were very low in both taxa, but increased to levels high enough to contribute significantly to osmotic balance when plants were artificially treated with 450–600 mM NaCl – higher salt concentrations than those they would normally encounter in their natural habitats. These data suggest that halophytes possess built-in mechanisms, such as accumulation of additional osmolytes, to rapidly adapt to increasing salinity levels in their natural ecosystems; for example, those expected to be caused by climate change in salt marshes in the Mediterranean region.