Inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) improves salt tolerance of maize seedling

Our objective was to evaluate the role of plant growth-promoting bacteria to protect maize (Zea mays L.) plants against salt damage. Bacillus aquimaris DY-3 based on their 16S rDNA sequences, the most tolerant to salinity and the synthesis of indole acetic acid was selected for further studies. Strain was inoculated on maize roots growing in sterilized sand under salt stress conditions (1% NaCl). After one week, plant growth was promoted by bacterial inoculation regardless of salt stress and non-salt stress. Chlorophyll content, leaf relative water content, accumulation of proline, soluble sugar and total phenolic compound, and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase were enhanced, while lipid peroxidation levels and Na⁺ content were decreased. The results showed that B. aquimaris DY-3 alleviated the salt stress in maize, likely through the integration of the antioxidant enzymes and the non-antioxidant systems that improve the plant response. Hence, the application of indole acetic acid synthesizing plant growth-promoting bacteria may represent an important alternative approach to decrease the impact of salt stress on crops.     

A teosinte-derived allele of an HKT1 family sodium transporter improves salt tolerance in maize

The sodium cation (Na⁺) is the predominant cation with deleterious effects on crops in salt-affected agricultural areas. Salt tolerance of crop can be improved by increasing shoot Na⁺ exclusion. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and use genetic variants of various crops that promote shoot Na⁺ exclusion. Here, we show that a HKT1 family gene ZmNC3 (Zea mays L. Na⁺ Content 3; designated ZmHKT1;2) confers natural variability in shoot-Na⁺ accumulation and salt tolerance in maize. ZmHKT1;2 encodes a Na⁺-preferential transporter localized in the plasma membrane, which mediates shoot Na⁺ exclusion, likely by withdrawing Na⁺ from the root xylem flow. A naturally occurring nonsynonymous SNP (SNP947-G) increases the Na⁺ transport activity of ZmHKT1;2, promoting shoot Na⁺ exclusion and salt tolerance in maize. SNP947-G first occurred in the wild grass teosinte (at a allele frequency of 43%) and has become a minor allele in the maize population (allele frequency 6.1%), suggesting that SNP947-G is derived from teosinte and that the genomic region flanking SNP947 likely has undergone selection during domestication or post-domestication dispersal of maize. Moreover, we demonstrate that introgression of the SNP947-G ZmHKT1;2 allele into elite maize germplasms reduces shoot Na⁺ content by up to 80% and promotes salt tolerance. Taken together, ZmNC3/ZmHKT1;2 was identified as an important QTL promoting shoot Na⁺ exclusion, and its favourable allele provides an effective tool for developing salt-tolerant maize varieties.     

生物炭调控盐胁迫下水稻幼苗耐盐性能

土壤盐渍化降低土壤生产力.探索生物炭对盐胁迫下水稻幼苗耐盐性能的影响,对调控盐渍区水稻生产潜力具有重要意义.本研究通过生物炭介入盐胁迫稻田土壤的盆栽试验,调查了生物炭对盐胁迫下土壤环境和水稻幼苗耐盐性能的影响.盐胁迫设置4个水平,分别为0 g NaCl·kg-1土(S0),1 g NaCl·kg-1土(S1),2 g ...     

Zinc improves salt tolerance by increasing reactive oxygen species scavenging and reducing Na+ accumulation in wheat seedlings

Salt decreases the uptake of Zn and other minerals and causes nutritional disorders in plants. Zn is an essential micronutrient for all organisms and it is reasonable to hypothesize that Zn status is essential for maintaining salt tolerance in plants. In this study, the physiological and molecular mechanisms of Zn-based alleviation of salt stress in wheat seedlings were investigated. Our results indicate that sufficient Zn nutrition maintained antioxidative enzyme activities and decreased a reactive oxygen species over-accumulation in wheat seedlings. Our data also reveal that sufficient Zn nutrition improved the expression of Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter genes, TaSOS1 and TaNHX1, thereby decreasing the Na⁺ accumulation and subsequently improving salt tolerance in wheat seedlings.     

Manipulation of monoubiquitin improves salt tolerance in transgenic tobacco

Ubiquitin (Ub) is regarded as a stress protein involved in many stress responses. In this paper, sense and antisense transgenic tobacco plants, as well as the wild type and vector control, were used to study the role of Ub in salt tolerance of plants. In sense Ta-Ub2 transgenic tobacco plants, there was higher expression of Ub protein conjugates than in the wild type and vector control, but the reverse trend was observed in antisense Nt-Ub1 transgenic plants. The germination rate of tobacco seed, growth status and photosynthesis of the tobacco plants suggested that over-expressing Ub promoted the growth of transgenic tobacco plants and enhanced their salt tolerance, but the opposite effect was seen in plants with repressed Ub expression. Changes in antioxidant capacity may be one of the mechanisms underlying Ub-regulated salt tolerance. Furthermore, improved tolerance to a combination of stresses was also observed in the sense transgenic tobacco plants. These findings imply that Ub is involved in the tolerance of plants to abiotic stress.     

热激诱导的玉米幼苗耐热性及其与脯氨酸的关系

研究了热激对玉米幼苗耐热性的效应及其与脯氨酸的关系。结果表明,培养2.5 d的玉米幼苗经过42℃热激4 h并于26.5℃下恢复4 h后,提高了玉米幼苗在48℃下的存活率,并且热激及其后的恢复过程中都表现出脯氨酸的积累。不同浓度的外源脯氨酸预处理也可提高玉米幼苗内源脯氨酸的水平和抗氧化酶抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)、过氧化物酶(GPX)的活性,从而提高玉米幼苗在高温胁迫下的存活率。这些结果暗示热激过程中脯氨酸的积累所诱发的抗氧化酶活性的增强可能是热激诱导的玉米幼苗耐热性形成的生理基础之一。     

Improving salt tolerance of cotton seedlings with 5-aminolevulinic acid

Of 12 different plant growth regulators (PGRs) tested,5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was found to improve the salttolerance of cotton seedlings. Cotton seedlings treated with ALAcould grow in soil containing levels as high as 1.5% (wt/wt)NaCl. The analyses of mineral compositions of plant parts revealed that the Na^plus concentrations in the roots of the plantstreated with ALA were suppressed to low concentrations. Fromthese results, it can be presumed that the presence of ALA maycause a reduction of Na^plus uptake.     

Gibberellic acid improves water deficit tolerance in maize plants

The combination effects of water stress and gibberellic acid (GA₃) on physiological attributes and nutritional status of maize (Zea mays L. cv., DK 647 F1) were studied in a pot experiment. Maize plants were grown in the control (well watered WW) and water stress subjected to treated both water stress and two concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA₃ 25 mg L⁻¹, 50 mg L⁻¹). WS was imposed by maintaining the moisture level equivalent to 50 % pot capacity whereas the WW pots were maintained at full pot capacity. Water stress reduced the total dry weight, chlorophyll concentration, and leaf relative water content (RWC), but it increased proline accumulation and electrolyte leakage in maize plants and appears to affect shoots more than roots. Both concentrations of GA₃ (25 and 50 mg L⁻¹) largely enhanced the above physiological parameters to levels similar to control. WS reduced leaf Ca²⁺ and K⁺ concentrations, but exogenous application of GA₃ increased those nutrient levels similar or close to control. Exogenous application of GA₃ improved the water stress tolerance in maize plants by maintaining membrane permeability, enhancing chlorophyll concentration, leaf relative water content (LRWC) and some macro-nutrient concentrations in leaves.     

Cd - tolerance of maize, rye and wheat seedlings

The effect of cadmium on growth parameters of seedlings of maize, rye and wheat as well as the role of phytochelatins in Cd detoxication in these species were studied. Cadmium was found to inhibit root growth and decrease fresh weight and water content in roots and shoots of the studied plants. Although a considerably lower Cd accumulation was shown in maize seedlings than in other species, they were characterized by the highest sensitivity to cadmium. Among γ-Glu-Cys peptides synthetized by plant species, phytochelatins — glutathione derivatives predominated. In maize they were synthetized in amounts sufficient for binding the total pool of the metal taken up, and the detoxication mechanism was localized in their roots. Larger amounts of cadmium were accumulated in roots of wheat and rye, but the quantity of the formed γ-Glu-Cys peptides seems insufficient for detoxication of the metal.     

Effect of ammonium salt on enzymes of ammonium assimilation in maize seedlings

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH E.C. 1.4.1.2.4), glutamine synthetase (GS E.C. 6.3.1.2) and glutamate synthase (glutamine oxoglutarate amino transferase, GOGAT E.C. 2.6.1.53) activities, protein and organic nitrogen contents and growth of roots and shoots of maize seedlings raised in dark at 25±2°C in half strength Hoagland’s solution containing different ammonium salts as source of nitrogen, were determined to assess the contribution of alternate pathways in ammonium assimilation. Ammonium nitrate or in some cases ammonium chloride appeared to be the best source for both root and shoot growth and for increase in protein, total nitrogen and the enzymes of ammonium assimilation. In roots, NH₄-nitrogen appeared to be assimilated by both GDH as well as GS-GOGAT pathways specially in the dark grown seedlings, while in shoots it was primarily by GS-GOGAT pathway.     

Engineering of enhanced glycine betaine synthesis improves drought tolerance in maize

Glycine betaine plays an important role in some plants, including maize, in conditions of abiotic stress, but different maize varieties vary in their capacity to accumulate glycine betaine. An elite maize inbred line DH4866 was transformed with the betA gene from Escherichia coli encoding choline dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.99.1), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of glycine betaine from choline. The transgenic maize plants accumulated higher levels of glycine betaine and were more tolerant to drought stress than wild-type plants (non-transgenic) at germination and the young seedling stage. Most importantly, the grain yield of transgenic plants was significantly higher than that of wild-type plants after drought treatment. The enhanced glycine betaine accumulation in transgenic maize provides greater protection of the integrity of the cell membrane and greater activity of enzymes compared with wild-type plants in conditions of drought stress.     

The yeast HAL1 gene improves salt tolerance of transgenic tomato

Overexpression of the HAL1 gene in yeast has a positive effect on salt tolerance by maintaining a high internal K(+) concentration and decreasing intracellular Na(+) during salt stress. In the present work, the yeast gene HAL1 was introduced into tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. A sample of primary transformants was self-pollinated, and progeny from both transformed and non-transformed plants (controls) were evaluated for salt tolerance in vitro and in vivo. Results from different tests indicated a higher level of salt tolerance in the progeny of two different transgenic plants bearing four copies or one copy of the HAL1 gene. In addition, measurement of the intracellular K(+) to Na(+) ratios showed that transgenic lines were able to retain more K(+) than the control under salt stress. Although plants and yeast cannot be compared in an absolute sense, these results indicate that the mechanism controlling the positive effect of the HAL1 gene on salt tolerance may be similar in transgenic plants and yeast.     

Exogenous hydrogen peroxide can enhance tolerance of wheat seedlings to salt stress

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), an active oxygen species, is widely generated in many biological systems and mediates various physiological and biochemical processes in plants. In this study, we demonstrated that exogenous H₂O₂ was able to improve the tolerance of wheat seedlings to salt stress. Treatments with exogenous H₂O₂ for 2 days significantly enhanced salt stress tolerance in wheat seedlings by decreasing the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), the production rate of superoxide radical (O₂ ⁻), and increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and the concentration of glutathione (GSH) and carotenoids (CAR). To further clarify the role of H₂O₂ in preventing salt stress damage, CAT and ascorbate (AsA), the specific H₂O₂ scavengers, were used. The promoting effect of exogenous H₂O₂ on salt stress could be reversed by the addition of CAT and AsA. It was suggested that exogenous H₂O₂ induced changes in MDA, O₂ ⁻, antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant compounds were responsible for the increase in salt stress tolerance observed in the experiments. Therefore, H₂O₂ may participate in antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant compounds induced tolerance of wheat seedlings to salt stress. The results also showed that exogenous H₂O₂ had a positive physiological effect on the growth and development of salt-stressed seedlings.     

Abscisic acid pretreatment enhances salt tolerance of rice seedlings: Proteomic evidence

Enhanced salt tolerance of rice seedlings by abscisic acid (ABA) pretreatment was observed from phenotypic and physiological analyses. Total proteins from rice roots treated with ABA plus subsequent salt stress were analyzed by using proteomics method. Results showed that, 40 protein spots were uniquely upregulated in the seedlings under the condition of ABA pretreatment plus subsequent salt stress, whereas only 16 under the condition of salt treatment. About 78% (31 spots) of the 40 protein spots were only upregulated in the presence of the subsequent salt stress, indicating that plants might have an economical strategy to prevent energy loss under a false alarm. The results also showed that more enzymes involved in energy metabolism, defense, primary metabolism, etc. were upregulated uniquely in ABA-pretreated rice seedlings, suggesting more abundant energy supply, more active anabolism (nitrogen, nucleotide acid, carbohydrate, etc), and more comprehensive defense systems in ABA-pretreated seedlings than in salt stressed ones.     

Brassinosteroid seed priming with nitrogen supplementation improves salt tolerance in soybean

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of brassinosteroid (24-epibrassinolide, EBL) seed priming and optimal nitrogen (N) supply in improving salt tolerance in soybean. The experimental treatments were (a) control (nutrient solution without N and without EBL priming), (b) nutrient solution without N and EBL seed priming, (c) N supplemented nutrient solution without EBL priming and (d) EBL seed priming + N supplemented nutrient solution under optimal (0 mM NaCl) and salt stress (0 mM NaCl) conditions. Salt stress caused significant reduction in growth and biomass accumulation of soybean. However, EBL seed priming and application of N improved the soybean performance under optimal and salt stress conditions. In this regard, treatments receiving both EBL and N were more effective. EBL priming and N, alone and in combination, triggered the accumulation of osmolytes including proline, glycine betaine and sugars resulting in better photo-protection through maintenance of tissue water content. Antioxidant activity and osmolyte accumulation significantly increased due to combined treatment of N and EBL under normal as well as salt stress conditions. In conclusion, salt stress caused reduction in growth and biomass soybean due to oxidative damage and osmotic stresses. However, soybean performance was improved by seed priming with EBL. Supplementation of N further improved the effectiveness of EBL treatment in improving salt tolerance in soybean.