Abscisic acid cross-talking with hydrogen peroxide and osmolyte compounds may regulate the leaf rolling mechanism under drought

Leaf rolling observed in some crops such as maize, rice, wheat and sorghum is an indicator of decreased water status. Moderate leaf rolling not tightly or early increases the photosynthesis and grain yield of crop cultivars under environmental stresses. Moreover, the effects of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) on stomatal conductance, water status and synthesis of osmotic compounds are a well-known issue in plants subjected to water deficit. However, it is not clear how the cross-talk of ABA with H₂O₂ and osmolyte compounds affects the leaf rolling mechanism. Regulation mechanism of leaf rolling by ABA has been first studied in maize seedlings under drought stress induced by polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) in this study. ABA treatment under drought stress reduced hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) content and the degree of leaf rolling (%) while the treatment-induced ABA synthesis, osmolyte levels (proline, polyamine and total soluble sugars) and some antioxidant enzyme activities in comparison to the plants that were not treated with ABA. Furthermore, exogenous ABA up-regulated the expression levels of arginine decarboxylase (ADC) and pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS) genes and down-regulated polyamine oxidase (PAO), diamine oxidase (DAO) and proline dehydrogenase (ProDH) gene expressions. When endogenous ABA content was decreased by the treatment of fluoridone (FLU) that is an ABA inhibitor, leaf rolling degree (%), H₂O₂ content and antioxidant enzyme activities increased, but osmolyte levels, ADC and P5CS gene expressions decreased. Finally, the treatment of ABA to maize seedlings exposed to drought stress resulted in the stimulation of the antioxidant system, osmotic adjustment and reduction of leaf rolling. We concluded that ABA can be a signal compound cross-talking H₂O₂, proline and polyamines and thus involved in the leaf rolling mechanism by providing osmotic adjustment. The results of this study can be used to provide data for the molecular breeding of maize hybrids with high grain yield by means of moderately rolled leaves.     

Fulvic Acid,Brassinolide, and Uniconazole Mediated Regulation of Morphological and Physiological Traits in Maize Seedlings Under Water Stress

Water stress is one of the most important factors limiting sustainable crop production. Therefore, the effects of the plant growth regulators (PGRs) fulvic acid (FA), brassinolide (BR), and uniconazole (Uni) on seedling growth and physiology of two maize (Zea mays L.) varieties were evaluated under???0.7 MPa water stress induced by polyethylene glycol-6000. Under drought stress, the PGRs promoted seedling growth, altered the root-to-shoot ratio, and significantly increased root biomass, length, surface area, diameter, and volume. In addition, depending on the PGR, net photosynthesis rate, SPAD value (indicating chlorophyll content), and water use efficiency increased significantly, under drought stress, whereas transpiration rate decreased. The PGRs also significantly increased antioxidant enzyme activities and significantly decreased malondialdehyde accumulation in leaves and roots under drought stress. Zhengdan958 showed greater variation in physiological responses and stronger drought resistance than Xundan20. In alleviating drought stress in maize seedlings, FA had the greatest effects on shoot growth and leaf physiology; Uni exerted its effects by regulating root structure, and BR effects were intermediate. Under drought stress, the three PGRs increased maize seedling growth, which reduced drought stress-induced damage and improved plant ability to resist the adversity. Based on a comprehensive analysis of physiological indices of drought resistance, Uni is recommended as the best PGR to improve maize seedlings resistance to drought.

     

The effects of exogenous ABA applied to maize (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.) roots on plant responses to chilling stress

This work aimed to discuss the effects of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) on the root growth regulation of maize seedlings under chilling stress. The roots of the maize cultivar Zhengdan 958 were irrigated with ABA (10^?7, 10^?6, 10^?5 and 10^?4 M) at the third true leaf stage under chilling duration (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days). The biomass, the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activities, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) antioxidant capacity, and 2,2-azinobis (3-ethlbenzothiazo-line-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical (ABTS^·+) scavenging capacity of the roots of maize seedlings were measured after the treatment. The results showed that appropriate concentrations of exogenous ABA effectively enhanced root biomass, increased PAL and PPO enzyme activities, and significantly increased total phenolic contents and flavonoid contents. Moreover, the ABA markedly improved the FRAP antioxidant capacity and ABTS^·+ scavenging capacity under low-temperature stress. These results indicate that ABA-treated maize seedlings are resistant to chilling stress and that the optimum concentration of ABA is 10^?5 M. Exogenous applications of ABA have a concentration effect in alleviating chilling stress, in which low concentrations have a promoting effect and high concentrations have an inhibiting effect.     

Endophytic Chaetomium globosum enhances maize seedling copper stress tolerance

This study aims at characterisation of the impact of Chaetomium globosum on copper stress resistance of maize seedlings. Higher levels of copper treatment decreased maize dry weight and induced a marked increase in osmotic solutes, antioxidant enzyme activity and the level of lipid peroxidation. On the other hand, addition of the endophytic C. globosum alleviated the toxic effect of copper on maize growth. The combination of copper sulphate and Chaetomium increased seedling dry weight, osmotic solute content and antioxidant enzyme activity compared to copper sulphate alone, while lipid peroxidation levels were also decreased. The fungal scavenger system might be important for supporting the ability of maize seedlings to resist copper toxicity.     

Heat shock protein 70 regulates the abscisic acid-induced antioxidant response of maize to combined drought and heat stress

We investigated the interaction between heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and abscisic acid (ABA)-induced antioxidant response of maize to the combination of drought and heat stress. First, the increased activities of enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase (CAT), induced by drought were less than those by heat or combined drought and heat stress, except some individual cases (e.g. CAT in leaves, GR in roots). Second, both HSP70 synthesis and H₂O₂ production increased prominently under drought, heat or their combination stress; the increase in leaves induced by drought and heat combination was the highest, followed by heat and by drought, while the increase in roots had not visible difference. Third, either in leaves or roots, pretreatment with ABA inhibitor, HSP70 inhibitor and H₂O₂ scavenger, significantly arrested the stress-induced increase of antioxidant enzyme activities, and ABA inhibitor and H₂O₂ scavenger obviously suppressed HSP70 synthesis, while HSP70 inhibitor slightly heightened H₂O₂ accumulation. Finally, 100 μM ABA significantly enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, HSP70 expression and H₂O₂ production under stresses in comparison with ABA-deficient mutant vp5 maize plants without pretreatment. Thus, ABA-induced H₂O₂ production enhances the HSP70 synthesis and up-regulates the activities of antioxidant enzymes, resulting in the suppression of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Our results suggest that HSP70 may play a crucial role in ABA-induced antioxidant defense of maize to drought and heat combination.     

Exogenous glycinebetaine and humic acid improve growth,nitrogen status,photosynthesis, and antioxidant defense system and confer tolerance to nitrogen stress in maize seedlings

Abiotic stresses, including nitrogen stress (NS), can hamper photosynthesis and cause oxidative damage to plants. Upregulation of the antioxidative defense system and photosynthesis induced by exogenous glycinebetaine (GB) and humic acid (HA) can mitigate the inhibitory effects of NS on plants. In the present investigation, the beneficial effects of exogenously applied GB and HA were examined on growth, leaf N status, photosynthesis, lipid peroxidation, and activities of some key antioxidant enzymes in the seedlings of maize cv. Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) exposed to NS. NS caused a significant reduction in total dry matter of seedlings of ZD958, but both GB and HA proved effective in mitigating this inhibition, hence, the beneficial effects of GB being more pronounced than those of HA. NS led to a considerable decrease in leaf total N and endogenous GB contents, stomatal conductance (g _s), net photosynthetic rate (P _n), intercellular CO₂ concentration (C _i), and activities of two key C₄ photosynthesis enzymes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCase) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase) as well as of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). This treatment caused an increase in lipid peroxidation, but showed no effect on POD activity. Exogenous application of varying doses of GB resulted in a decrease in lipid peroxidation and C _i, and an increase in leaf total N and endogenous glycinebetaine (EGB) content, P _n, and activities of RuBPCase, PEPCase, SOD, and catalase (CAT) under NS. In contrast, application of different doses of HA resulted in a decrease in lipid peroxidation, an increase in P _n, g _s, and C _i as well as SOD, CAT, and POD activities without increasing leaf total N and EGB content, and enhanced RuBPCase and PEPCase activities. The present study suggests that exogenous application of GB and HA can induce tolerance in maize plants to NS, but through the regulation of different mechanisms.     

Effect of plant growth promoting <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas</Emphasis> spp. on compatible solutes,antioxidant status and plant growth of maize under drought stress

Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting yield of dryland crops. Rhizobacterial populations of stressed soils are adapted and tolerant to stress and can be screened for isolation of efficient stress adaptive/tolerant, plant growth promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) strains that can be used as inoculants for crops grown in stressed ecosystems. The effect of inoculation of five drought tolerant plant growth promoting Pseudomonas spp. strains namely P. entomophila strain BV-P13, P. stutzeri strain GRFHAP-P14, P. putida strain GAP-P45, P. syringae strain GRFHYTP52, and P. monteilli strain WAPP53 on growth, osmoregulation and antioxidant status of maize seedlings under drought stress conditions was investigated. Drought stress induced by withholding irrigation had drastic effects on growth of maize seedlings. However seed bacterization of maize with Pseudomonas spp. strains improved plant biomass, relative water content, leaf water potential, root adhering soil/root tissue ratio, aggregate stability and mean weight diameter and decreased leaf water loss. The inoculated plants showed higher levels of proline, sugars, free amino acids under drought stress. However protein and starch content was reduced under drought stress conditions. Inoculation decreased electrolyte leakage compared to uninoculated seedlings under drought stress. As compared to uninoculated seedlings, inoculated seedlings showed significantly lower activities of antioxidant enzymes, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) under drought stress, indicating that inoculated seedlings felt less stress as compared to uninoculated seedlings. The strain GAP-P45 was found to be the best in terms of influencing growth and biochemical and physiological status of the seedlings under drought stress. The study reports the potential of rhizobacteria in alleviating drought stress effects in maize.     

Asr genes belong to a gene family comprising at least three closely linked loci on chromosome 4 in tomato

Asr1, Asr2 andAsr3 are three homologous clones isolated from tomato whose expression is believed to be regulated by abscisic acid (ABA); the corresponding genes thus participate in physiological and developmental processes such as responses of leaf and root to water stress, and fruit ripening. In this report, results obtained with Near Isogenic Lines reveal thatAsr1, Asr2 andAsr3 represent three different loci. In addition, we map these genes on the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) map of the tomato genome by using an F₂ population derived from an interspecific hybrid crossL. esculentum × L. penelli. RFLP data allow us to map these genes on chromosome 4, suggesting that they belong to a gene family. The elucidation of the genomic organization of theAsr gene family may help in understanding the role of its members in the response to osmotic stress, as well as in fruit ripening, at the molecular level.     

Hydrogen peroxide pretreatment induces osmotic stress tolerance by influencing osmolyte and abscisic acid levels in maize leaves

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) functions as a signal molecule in plants under abiotic and biotic stresses. Leaves of detached maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings were used to study the function of H₂O₂ pretreatment in osmotic stress resistance. Low H₂O₂ concentration (10 mM) which did not cause a visual symptom of water deficit (leaf rolling) was applied to the seedlings. Exogenous H₂O₂ alone increased leaf water potential, endogenous H₂O₂ content, abscisic acid (ABA) concentration, and metabolite levels including soluble sugars, proline, and polyamines while it decreased lipid peroxidation and stomatal conductance. Osmotic stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) decreased leaf water potential and stomatal conductance but enhanced lipid peroxidation, endogenous H₂O₂ content, the metabolite levels, and ABA content. H₂O₂ pretreatment also induced the metabolite accumulation and improved water status, stomatal conductance, lipid peroxidation, ABA, and H₂O₂ levels under osmotic stress. These results indicated that H₂O₂ pretreatment may alleviate water loss and induce osmotic stress resistance by increasing the levels of soluble sugars, proline, and polyamines thus ABA and H₂O₂ production slightly decrease in maize seedlings under osmotic stress.     

Knockout of AtDjB1, a J‐domain protein from Arabidopsis thaliana,alters plant responses to osmotic stress and abscisic acid

AtDjB1 is a member of the Arabidopsis thaliana J‐protein family. AtDjB1 is targeted to the mitochondria and plays a crucial role in A. thaliana heat and oxidative stress resistance. Herein, the role of AtDjB1 in adapting to saline and drought stress was studied in A. thaliana. AtDjB1 expression was induced through salinity, dehydration and abscisic acid (ABA) in young seedlings. Reverse genetic analyses indicate that AtDjB1 is a negative regulator in plant osmotic stress tolerance. Further, AtDjB1 knockout mutant plants (atj1‐1) exhibited greater ABA sensitivity compared with the wild‐type (WT) plants and the mutant lines with a rescued AtDjB1 gene. AtDjB1 gene knockout also altered the expression of several ABA‐responsive genes, which suggests that AtDjB1 is involved in osmotic stress tolerance through its effects on ABA signaling pathways. Moreover, atj1‐1 plants exhibited higher glucose levels and greater glucose sensitivity in the post‐germination development stage. Applying glucose promoted an ABA response in seedlings, and the promotion was more evident in atj1‐1 than WT seedlings. Taken together, higher glucose levels in atj1‐1 plants are likely responsible for the greater ABA sensitivity and increased osmotic stress tolerance.     

不同基因型玉米间混作优势带型配置

为了确定不同基因型玉米间混作的优势带型配置,采用高矮秆玉米豫单610 ||郑单958(YD610 || ZD958)间混作和株高相近玉米登海662 ||浚单20( DH662 || XD20)间混作,研究不同间混作带型配置模式对两个玉米间混作群体的产量、抗逆性、光合性能及田间小气候的影响.结果表明:YD610 || ZD958和DH662 || XD20间混作群体均比单作有显著的增产效果.高矮秆玉米YD610 || ZD958间混作以行比2∶4(I2∶4)的土地当量比(LER)最高,I2∶4的LER分别比行比1∶1(I1∶1)、行比2∶2(I2∶2)和混作(M)高8.1％、2.1％和1.2％.株高相近玉米DH662 || XD20间混作以行比2∶2的LER最高,I2∶2的LER分别比I1∶1、I2∶4和M高6.2％、4.0％和9.3％.间混作群体增产的主要原因在于增强了群体的抗病和抗倒伏能力,改善了群体的通风、透光状况,使群体叶面积指数和光合速率提高.因此,当高矮秆玉米品种搭配间混作时,宜采用行比2∶4间作带型模式(2行高秆品种,4行低秆品种);而株高相近玉米品种搭配间混作时,宜采用行比2∶2间作带型模式.     

Wounding stress induces alcohol dehydrogenase in maize and lettuce seedlings

To understand the effect of wounding stress on alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH, EC 1.1.1.1) in monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, maize(Zea mays L.) and lettuce (Lactucasativa L.) seedlings were subjected to wounding stress and ADHactivity and abscisic acid (ABA) concentration were determined. In response tothe stress, the ADH activity in seedlings of both species increased rapidly asaresult of increased synthesis of the ADH. At 12 h after thestress,the activities in the wounded lettuce and maize seedlings, respectively,increased to 1.7- and 1.5-fold of that in non-stressed seedlings. Woundingstress also increased the concentration of endogenous ABA during the first 6h in both seedlings. The maximum increased levels of ABA in thelettuce and maize seedlings were 4.9- and 4.7-fold of that in the non-stressedseedlings, respectively.     

盐旱交叉胁迫对灰胡杨(Populus pruinosa)幼苗生长和生理生化特性的影响

以一年生灰胡杨幼苗为试验材料,利用田间控盐控水的方法,进行干旱和盐胁迫试验,通过测定生长和生理生化指标探讨幼苗在盐旱交叉胁迫下的生长发育及适应规律,旨在阐明干旱及盐交叉胁迫下植物抗旱抗盐机理。研究结果表明:在盐、旱及交叉胁迫下,灰胡杨幼苗抗氧化酶活性、MDA和脯氨酸含量与对照存在显著差异(P0.05)。(1)在8、11 g/L和15 g/L盐处理下,灰胡杨幼苗相对高生长、相对枝长和冠幅增量均受到抑制,且差异显著(P0.05),而干旱胁迫和盐旱交互胁迫下差异不显著。(2)在盐胁迫、盐旱交叉胁迫下,随着胁迫程度的加重,抗氧化酶SOD、POD、CAT活性表现出先增加后降低的趋势,三者协调一致;仅干旱胁迫时,抗氧化酶SOD、POD、CAT活性显著增加;(3)在盐、旱及其盐旱交叉胁迫下,脯氨酸含量呈上升趋势,MDA含量则表现出先降低后升高趋势,这与抗氧化酶活性先升高后降低的趋势相对应。因此,抗氧化酶活性对缓解脂膜过氧化的伤害具有一定限度,MDA含量与抗氧化酶活性呈负相关,灰叶胡杨幼苗在盐旱交叉胁迫下表现出一定的耐性。     

Effect of Exogenous Abscisic Acid on Proline Dehydrogenase Activity in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Plant responses to drought stress include proline and abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation. Proline dehydrogenase (PDH) (EC 1.4.3) is the first enzyme in the proline oxidation pathway, and its activity has been shown to decline in response to water stress (PJ Rayapati, CR Stewart [1991] Plant Physiol 95: 787-791). In this investigation, we determined whether ABA treatment affects PDH activity in a manner similar to drought stress in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings. Four exogenous ABA treatments (0, 11, 33, and 100 micromolar ABA) were applied to well-watered maize seedlings. Mitochondria were isolated and PDH was solubilized using Nonidet P-40. PDH activity was measured by the reduction of iodonitrotetrazolium violet under proline-dependent conditions. There was no effect of ABA on PDH activity at 33 and 100 micromolar ABA, but there was a 38% decline at 11 micromolar. This decline was less than the 69% reduction in activity under drought stress. Endogenous ABA determinations and plant growth rate showed that ABA entered the plant and was affecting metabolic processes. ABA treatments had a small effect on shoot and root proline concentration, whereas drought stress caused a 220% increase in root tissues. We conclude that ABA is not part of the pathway linking drought stress and decreased PDH activity.     

弱光胁迫对不同耐荫型玉米果穗发育及内源激素含量的影响

2010—2011年以耐荫性较弱的玉米杂交种豫玉22和耐荫性较强的玉米杂交种郑单958为材料,在抽雄前3 d开始进行弱光胁迫处理,吐丝后10 d恢复自然光照,研究弱光胁迫及光恢复对不同耐荫型玉米果穗生长发育及其内源激素含量的影响。结果表明:弱光胁迫下,玉米果穗生长发育明显减缓,穗长、穗粗和果穗干物质积累显著减小,秃尖度变大;穗行数、穗粒数和籽粒库容显著降低;吐丝期果穗顶部小穗子房发育停滞,已有败育迹象的籽粒在恢复自然光照后无明显改善;豫玉22果穗和籽粒性状在处理间的差异程度均大于郑单958。弱光胁迫下,两玉米杂交种果穗的ABA和ZR含量均升高,而GA含量和GA/ABA比值均降低;IAA含量和IAA/ABA比值在郑单958果穗中表现为升高,而豫玉22则表现为下降。     

ZmABA2, an interacting protein of ZmMPK5, is involved in abscisic acid biosynthesis and functions

In maize (Zea mays), the mitogen‐activated protein kinase ZmMPK5 has been shown to be involved in abscisic acid (ABA)‐induced antioxidant defence and to enhance the tolerance of plants to drought, salt stress and oxidative stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, using ZmMPK5 as bait in yeast two‐hybrid screening, a protein interacting with ZmMPK5 named ZmABA2, which belongs to a member of the short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase family, was identified. Pull‐down assay and bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis and co‐immunoprecipitation test confirmed that ZmMPK5 interacts with ZmABA2 in vitro and in vivo. Phosphorylation of Ser173 in ZmABA2 by ZmMPK5 was shown to increase the activity of ZmABA2 and the protein stability. Various abiotic stimuli induced the expression of ZmABA2 in leaves of maize plants. Pharmacological, biochemical and molecular biology and genetic analyses showed that both ZmMPK5 and ZmABA2 coordinately regulate the content of ABA. Overexpression of ZmABA2 in tobacco plants was found to elevate the content of ABA, regulate seed germination and root growth under drought and salt stress and enhance the tolerance of tobacco plants to drought and salt stress. These results suggest that ZmABA2 is a direct target of ZmMPK5 and is involved in ABA biosynthesis and functions.     

Ambiol,spermine, and aminoethoxyvinylglycine prevent water stress and protect membranes in Pinus strobus L under drought

The ability of antistress compounds to enhance the drought tolerance of conifer seedlings was tested by feeding plant growth regulators (PGRs) to 1-year-old white pine (Pinus strobus L.), which were then subjected to either a moderate (11 day) or a more severe (16 day) drought. The following PGRs were either fed directly into the xylem or applied as a root drench: the antioxidant Ambiol (2-methyl-4-[dimethylaminomethyl]- 5-hydroxybenzimidazole dihydrochloride), the polyamine, spermine, an anti-ethylene agent, aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), and the inhibitor, abscisic acid (ABA). Leaf water potentials (ƒ_l) declined in untreated seedlings when they were exposed to drought. Preconditioning with PGRs postponed water deficits and prevented membrane leakage under drought. The specific physiological adjustments observed were found to vary, depending on the type of compound. Ambiol, AVG and spermine caused transpirant rates to decline under drought. Although the antitranspirant effects of Ambiol and spermine would explain the increase in water use efficiency under drought, spermine also enhanced photosynthesis. The same compounds promoted osmotic adjustment, which would help to maintain turgor under drought. This was shown by the decline in osmotic potential at full turgor, and at zero turgor, in Ambiol and spermine-treated seedlings. Seedlings treated with Ambiol and ABA could sustain a greater water loss before turgor declined to zero. The possibility that preconditioning may help to maintain leaf physiological functioning under drought by reducing water stress and stress-ethylene production is discussed.