Growth and cell wall properties of two wheat cultivars differing in their sensitivity to aluminum stress

The present study was conducted to investigate the cell wall properties in two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars differing in their sensitivity to Al stress. Seedlings of Al-resistant, Inia66 and Al-sensitive, Kalyansona cultivars were grown in complete nutrient solutions for 4 days and then subjected to treatment solutions containing Al (0, 50 microM) in a 0.5 mM CaCl(2) solution at pH 4.5 for 24 h. Root elongation was inhibited greatly by the Al treatment in the Al-sensitive cultivar compared to the Al-resistant cultivar. The Al-resistant cultivar accumulated less amount of Al in the root apex than in the Al-sensitive cultivar. The contents of pectin and hemicellulose in roots were increased with Al stress, and this increase was more conspicuous in the Al-sensitive cultivar. The molecular mass of hemicellulosic polysaccharides was increased by the Al treatment in the Al-sensitive cultivar. The increase in the content of hemicellulose was attributed to increase in the contents of glucose, arabinose and xylose in neutral sugars. Aluminum treatment increased the contents of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid especially in the Al-sensitive cultivar by increasing the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL, EC 4.3.1.5). Aluminum treatment markedly decreased the beta-glucanase activity in the Al-sensitive cultivar, but did not exert any effect in the Al-resistant cultivar. These results suggest that the modulation of the activity of beta-glucanase with Al stress may be involved in part in the alteration of the molecular mass of hemicellulosic polysaccharides in the Al-sensitive cultivar. The increase in the molecular mass of hemicellulosic polysaccharides and ferulic acid synthesis in the Al-sensitive cultivar with Al stress may induce the mechanical rigidity of the cell wall and inhibit the elongation of wheat roots.     

沿海防护林四个树种根系分布对盐胁迫的响应

研究盐分胁迫下植物根系的分布及生长特性对沿海防护林树种的筛选具有重要意义。以8年生女贞(Ligustrum lucidum)、洋白蜡(Fraxinus pennsylvanica)、木麻黄(Casuarina equiestifolia)和墨西哥落羽杉(Taxodium mucronatum)等4个亚热带沿海防护林树种为对象,对其根系生长特性与土壤盐度关系、根系生物量分配格局、功能根的分布特征以及根系的比根长和根长密度进行了比较。结果表明:1)土壤盐分对植物根系垂直生长与分布具有强烈的制约作用,根系的水平伸展能力与树种根系垂直生长呈负相关;2)不同树种适应盐分胁迫能力不同,导致各自功能根的生物量分配格局差异;3)根径级越小,其吸收水分和营养物质的能力越强;根径级越大,固定和支持植株的能力越强;4)墨西哥落羽杉盐分阈值0.45%,根系垂直分布在0～95cm的土层中,具有良好的抗台风和耐盐土能力;木麻黄和洋白蜡2个树种的主根系长度分别为25cm和29cm,支撑根的比例分别为87.2%和56.3%,因此也具有一定的抗台风能力,可以栽植在盐度0.36%的沿海滩涂上;女贞盐分阈值0.21%,垂直根系为20cm,支撑根比例51.0%,不适合栽植于高盐分的台风分布地理区域。     

耐盐和盐敏感型小麦品种对NaCl胁迫的生理响应及耐盐性差异

为探究小麦品种类型对盐胁迫的生理响应及敏感性差异,以耐盐型品种济麦22和盐敏感型品种河农6425为材料,对幼苗期植株施以不同浓度的NaCl胁迫处理,比较分析了两个品种幼苗在胁迫条件下的生长、生理生化和叶绿体荧光特征等方面的差异。结果表明,NaCl胁迫对幼苗地上和地下部分的生长表现浓度依赖性的抑制效应,对耐盐型品种的抑制程度较小。在生理响应方面,幼苗体内的Na⁺含量随NaCl 浓度的增加而上升,K⁺和Ca²⁺含量则表现相反的变化趋势,耐盐型品种幼苗在胁迫处理前、后均具有较高的K⁺/Na⁺比和Ca²⁺/Na⁺比;NaCl胁迫导致幼苗的光系统Ⅱ受损,表现在Fv/Fm、Fv/Fo、qP 和YⅡ 等叶绿体荧光参数数值下降,降幅在耐盐性品种上相对较小。在氧化胁迫和抗氧化系统方面,NaCl胁迫导致幼苗体内活性氧水平的上升和过氧化物酶（POD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）等抗氧化酶的响应;POD活性在处理后的0-12 d范围内呈先下降后上升的趋势,CAT活性则呈先上升后下降的趋势。耐盐品种的POD活性在胁迫早期受抑制时间较短,随后的响应更迅速且上升幅度更高;耐盐品种的CAT活性上升幅度更高,且在胁迫后期对高浓度NaCl和长时间胁迫导致的酶活性抑制的耐受性更强。耐盐品种抗氧化酶的这一响应特征与其较低的活性氧上升幅度一致,也与其较低水平的代表膜损伤程度的丙二醛（MDA）积累一致。耐盐型品种根部的MDA积累经200 mmol/L NaCl处理1 d后达到峰值,而盐敏感品种根部的MDA积累经150 mmol/L NaCl处理1 d后即达到峰值。以上研究结果表明,耐盐型小麦品种济麦22可分别通过其较强的K⁺/Na⁺、Ca²⁺/Na⁺调节能力和抗氧化酶体系缓解盐胁迫所导致的渗透胁迫和活性氧伤害,从而表现出耐盐的特征。     

盐胁迫下树种幼苗生长及其耐盐性

采用盆栽方法,以11个树种实生幼苗为材料,用不同浓度(0、3、5、8 g·kg-1和10 g·kg-1)NaCl溶液进行1次性浇灌处理,对盐胁迫下各树种的形态表现、生长及耐盐性进行了研究,结果表明:(1)当盐含量达到8 g·kg-1时,欧洲荚蒾、甜桦和光叶漆植株死亡,当含量增加到10 g·kg-1时,沃氏金链花植株死亡,其它各存活树种也均出现不同程度的盐害症状;(2)盐胁迫后,各树种的苗高生长量下降、生物量累积减少,且随着处理浓度的增加均呈下降趋势,其中榆桔、甜桦和光叶漆的降幅最大;(3)盐处理后,各树种的根冠比值增大,其中盐胁迫对光叶漆、银水牛果和沃氏金链花有显著影响(p<0.05);(4)综合分析各树种的生长和形态表现,认为日本丁香、银水牛果、三裂叶漆和豆梨具有高度耐盐性,沃氏金链花、金雀儿、鹰爪豆和榆桔具有中高度耐盐性,而欧洲荚蒾、甜桦和光叶漆具有中度耐盐性.     

Nitrogen metabolism inErica and soybean,two species differing by their sensitivity to inorganic N source

Growth of soybean was not altered, whatever the inorganic N-source (NO₃, NH₄ or a NO₃/NH₄ mixture); conversely, growth of Erica x darleyensis plants in vitro decreased more in. NH₄ medium than in a NO₃ medium, compared to a NO₃/NH₄ medium. The GS/GOGAT pathway (in NH₄ medium), the nitrate and nitrite reductase activities (in NO₃ medium), as the contents in free nitrogenous forms and total nitrogen (in NO₃ and NH₄ media) were not more altered in Erica than in soybean, compared to a NO₃/NH₄ medium. PEPCase activity was the highest in soybean irrespective of the N-treatments; the involvement of PEPCase in N-metabolism could be explained by its function in ionic and osmotic balances rather than its function in supplying carboxylates as acceptors for NH₄-assimilation.     

Interaction of NaCl and Cd stress on compartmentation pattern of cations,antioxidant enzymes and proteins in leaves of two wheat genotypes differing in salt tolerance

Physiological mechanisms of salinity–Cd interactions were investigated in inter- and intracellular leaf compartments of salt-tolerant wheat × Lophopyrum elongatum (Host) A. Löve (syn. Agropyron elongatum) amphiploid and its salt-sensitive wheat parent (Triticum aestivum L. cv Chinese Spring). In comparison with the intracellular fluid, only very low Na⁺ concentrations (up to about 4 mM) were found in the intercellular leaf compartment of wheat after a 75 mM supply of NaCl. NaCl salinity led to a higher Cd concentration in leaves of the salt-sensitive genotype. Cd in the intercellular leaf compartment was not detectable. Higher K⁺ concentrations in the intercellular leaf compartment of the salt-sensitive genotype suggest a higher plasma membrane permeability caused by NaCl + Cd stress. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity was increased in leaves of the salt-sensitive genotype under the combined NaCl and Cd stress. The highest non-specific peroxidase activities were detected under the combined stresses. It is suggested that NaCl and Cd stress in combination enhance the production of oxygen radicals and H₂O₂, especially in leaves of the salt-sensitive genotype. As a consequence, disturbed membrane function may cause elevated Cd concentrations in the intracellular leaf compartment under salinity. Cd did not change protein concentration and pattern in leaves. The protein content in inter-and intracellular leaf compartments of both genotypes was increased under salinity. A different protein pattern was obtained in inter- and intracellular leaf compartments. Thus, several physiological interactions between NaCl stress and Cd were found in the two wheat genotypes.     

Sugar accumulation,photosynthesis and growth of two indica rice varieties in response to salt stress

Sugar, a final product of photosynthesis, is reported to be involved in the defense mechanisms of plants against abiotic stresses such as salinity, water deficiency, extreme temperature and mineral toxicity. Elements involved in photosynthesis, sugar content, water oxidation, net photosynthetic rate, activity of enzyme and gene expression have therefore been studied in Homjan (HJ), salt-tolerant, and Pathumthani 1 (PT1), salt-sensitive, varieties of rice. Fructose-1,6-biphosphatase (FBP) and fructokinase (FK) genes were rapidly expressed in HJ rice when exposed to salt stress for 1–6 h and to a greater degree than in PT1 rice. An increase in FBP enzyme activity was found in both roots and leaves of the salt-tolerant variety after exposure to salt stress. A high level of sugar and a delay in chlorophyll degradation were found in salt-tolerant rice. The total sugar content in leaf and root tissues of salt-tolerant rice was 2.47 and 2.85 times higher, respectively, than in the salt-sensitive variety. Meanwhile, less chlorophyll degradation was detected. Salt stress may promote sugar accumulation, thus preventing the degradation of chlorophyll. Water oxidation by the light reaction of photosynthesis in the salt-tolerant variety was greater than that in the salt-sensitive variety, indicated by a high maximum quantum yield of PSII (F _v/F _m) and quantum efficiency of PSII (Φ_PSII) with low nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), leading to a high net photosynthetic rate. In addition, the overall growth performances in the salt-tolerant variety were higher than those in the salt-sensitive variety. The FBP gene expression and enzyme activity, sugar accumulation, pigment stabilization, water oxidation and net photosynthetic rate parameters in HJ rice should be further investigated as multivariate salt-tolerant indices for the classification of salt tolerance in rice breeding programs.     

Regulatory role of auxin in adventitious root formation in two species of Rumex,differing in their sensitivity to waterlogging

Adventitious rooting in Rumex plants, in which the root systems were in hypoxic conditions, differed considerably between two species. R. palustris, a species from frequently flooded river forelands, developed a large number of adventitious roots during hypoxia, whereas adventitious root formation was poor in R. thyrsiflorus, a species from seldom flooded dykes and river dunes. Adventitious rooting could also be evoked in aerated plants of both species by application of auxin (1-naphthaleneacetic acid or indoleacetic acid) to the leaves. The response to auxin was dose-dependent, but even high auxin doses could not stimulate R. thyrsiflorus to produce as many adventitious roots as R. palustris. Consequently, the difference between the species in the amount of adventitious root formation was probably genetically determined, and not a result of a different response to auxin. A prerequisite for hypoxia-induced adventitious root formation is the basipetal transport of auxin within the shoot, as specific inhibition of this transport by N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid severely decreased the number of roots in hypoxia-treated plants. It is suggested that hypoxia of the root system causes stagnation of auxin transport in the root system. This can lead to an accumulation of auxin at the base of the shoot rosette, resulting in adventitious root formation.     

Root deployment and shoot growth for two desert species in response to soil rockiness

Soil texture, as well as the presence of rocks, can determine the water status, growth, and distribution of plants in arid environments. The effects of soil rockiness and soil particle size distribution on shoot and root growth, root system size, rooting depth, and water relations were therefore investigated for the Crassulacean acid metabolism leaf succulent Agave deserti and the C(4) bunchgrass Pleuraphis rigida after precipitation events during the summer and winter/spring rainfall periods in the northwestern Sonoran Desert. The soils at the field site varied from sandy (<3% rocks by volume) to rocky (up to 35% rocks), with greater water availability at higher water potentials for sandy than for rocky soils. Although A. deserti was absent from the sandiest sites, its shoot and root growth during both rainfall periods were greatest in comparatively sandier sites and decreased as the soil rock content increased. Furthermore, A. deserti had twofold greater root surface area, root?:?leaf area ratio, and mean rooting depth at sandier than at rocky sites. As for A. deserti, shoot growth was greater for P. rigida at the sandier sites than at the rockier sites, even though its root surface area and mean rooting depth did not vary significantly. After early spring rainfall events, the leaf water potential for A. deserti did not differ between rocky and sandy sites, but transpiration rates were almost twofold greater at rocky than at sandy sites. During the same period, P. rigida had lower leaf water potentials and 25% lower transpiration rates at rocky than at sandy sites. The greater variability in the deployment of the root systems of A. deserti in response to soil rockiness may reflect its evergreen habit and slower growth, which allow it to endure periods of lower water availability than does P. rigida, whose leaves die during drought.     

Sodium-calcium interactions in two wheat species differing in salinity tolerance

White spruce [ Picea glauca (Moench) Voss.] seedlings were used to study the changes in cell wall composition and elasticity in mature needles before and after the resumption of growth following winter dormancy. Dormant seedlings showed high cell wall elasticity that decreased after the resumption of shoot growth. Cell wall hemicellulose content increased 3 days after planting and decreased after the buds flushed. Non-cellulosic glucose and arabinose were the sugars showing the most pronounced changes related to shoot growth. Arabinose was the most abundant sugar residue in the pectin and hemicellulose fractions and it decreased until day 10 after planting. At the same time, the levels of glucose in pectin and hemicellulose increased. The results provide evidence for cell wall carbohydrate turnover in dormant and active seedlings before and after bud flushing.     

Selection of callus cultures of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) tolerant to NaCl and their response to salt stress

Stable callus cultures tolerant to NaCl (68 mM) were developed from salt-sensitive sugarcane cultivar CP65-357 by in vitro selection process. The accumulation of both inorganic (Na⁺, Cl⁻ and K⁺) and organic (proline and soluble sugars) solutes was determined in selected and non-selected calli after a NaCl shock in order to evaluate their implication in in vitro salt tolerance of the selected lines. Both salt-tolerant and non-selected calli showed similar relative fresh weight growth in the absence of NaCl. No growth reduction was observed in salt-tolerant calli while a significant reduction about 32% was observed in nonselected ones when both were cultivated on 68 mM NaCl. Accumulation of Na⁺ was similar in both salt-tolerant and non-selected calli in the presence of NaCl. Accumulation of Cl⁻ was lower in NaCl-tolerant than in non-selected calli while proline and soluble sugars were more accumulated in salt-tolerant than in non-selected calli when both were exposed to salt. K⁺ level decreased more severely in non-selected calli than in NaCl-tolerant ones after NaCl shock. The results indicated that K⁺ and Cl⁻ may play a key role in in vitro salt-tolerance in sugarcance cell lines obtained by in vitro selection and that organic solutes could contribute mainly to counteract the negative water potential of the outside medium.     

The response of Mo-hydroxylases and abscisic acid to salinity in wheat genotypes with differing salt tolerances

The differential responses of the wheat cultivars Shi4185 and Yumai47 to salinity were studied. The higher sensitivity of Yumai47 to salinity was linked to a greater growth reduction under salt stress, compared to more salt-tolerant Shi4185. Salinity increased the Na⁺, proline and superoxide anion radical (O₂ ^?) contents in both cultivars. Leaf Na⁺ content increased less in the more salt-tolerant cultivar Shi4185 than salt-sensitive Yumai47. The proline content increased more significantly in Shi4185 than Yumai47; on the contrary, superoxide anion radical content increased less in Shi4185 than Yumai47. This data indicated that wheat salinity tolerance can be increased by controlling Na⁺ transport from the root to shoot, associated with higher osmotic adjustment capability and antioxidant activity. Although salinity increased aldehyde oxidase (AO) activity and abscisic acid (ABA) content in the leaves and roots of both cultivars following the addition of NaCl to the growth medium, AO and ABA increased more in the salt-sensitive cultivar Yumai47 than the more salt-tolerant cultivar Shi4185. Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) activity in the leaves of both cultivars increased with increasing concentrations of NaCl; however, leaf XDH activity increased more significantly in Yumai47 than Shi4185. Root XDH activity in Shi4185 decreased with increasing NaCl concentrations, whereas salinity induced an increased root XDH activity in Yumai47. The involvement of AO and XDH enzymatic activities and altered ABA content in the response mechanisms of wheat to salinity are discussed herein.     

Salt stress effects on the photosynthetic electron transport chain in two chickpea lines differing in their salt stress tolerance

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of salt stress on the photosynthetic electron transport chain using two chickpea lines (Cicer arietinum L.) differing in their salt stress tolerance at the germination stage (AKN 87 and AKN 290). Two weeks after sowing, seedlings were exposed to salt stress for 2 weeks and irrigated with 200 ml of 200 mM NaCl every 2 days. The polyphasic OJIP fluorescence transient and the 820-nm transmission kinetics (photosystem I) were used to evaluate the effects of salt stress on the functionality of the photosynthetic electron transport chain. It was observed that a signature for salt stress was a combination of a higher J step (V_J), a smaller IP amplitude, and little or no effect on the primary quantum yield of PSII (φ_Po). We observed for AKN 290 a shorter leaf life cycle, which may represent a mechanism to cope with salt stress. For severely salt-stressed leaves, an inhibition of electron flow between the PQ pool and P700 was found. The data also suggest that the properties of electron flow beyond PSI are affected by salt stress.     

Response of two tomato cultivars differing in salt tolerance to inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi under salt stress

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and salt stress on nutrient acquisition and growth of two tomato cultivars exhibiting differences in salt tolerance were investigated. Plants were grown in a sterilized, low-P (silty clay) soil-sand mix. Salt was applied at saturation extract (EC_e) values of 1.4 (control), 4.9 (medium) and 7.1 dS m^–1 (high salt stress). Mycorrhizal colonization occurred irrespective of salt stress in both cultivars, but AMF colonization was higher under control than under saline soil conditions. The salt-tolerant cultivar Pello showed higher mycorrhizal colonization than the salt-sensitive cultivar Marriha. Shoot dry matter (DM) yield and leaf area were higher in mycorrhizal than nonmycorrhizal plants of both cultivars. Shoot DM and leaf area but not root DM were higher in Pello than Marriha. The enhancement in shoot DM due to AMF inoculation was 22% and 21% under control, 31% and 58% under medium, and 18% and 59% under high salinity for Pello and Marriha, respectively. For both cultivars, the contents of P, K, Zn, Cu, and Fe were higher in mycorrhizal than nonmycorrhizal plants under control and medium saline soil conditions. The enhancement in P, K, Zn, Cu, and Fe acquisition due to AMF inoculation was more pronounced in Marriha than in the Pello cultivar under saline conditions. The results suggest that Marriha benefited more from AMF colonization than Pello under saline soil conditions, despite the fact that Pello roots were highly infected with the AMF. Thus, it appears that Marriha is more dependent on AMF symbiosis than Pello. Accepted: 22 January 2001     

Transport and accumulation of ions in two spring wheat lines differing in salt tolerance

Fifty-two-day old plants of a salt tolerant line, S24 and a salt sensitive, Yecora Rojo were subjected for 15 days to 125 mol·m⁻³ NaCl in Hoagland’s nutrient solution under glass-house conditions. The dry matter of shoots and roots of the salt tolerant line was significantly greater over all time intervals in saline substrate than the salt sensitive line, Yecora Rojo. In the leaves of salt-treated former line concentration of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ was lower as compared to the latter line. The lower Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations in the leaves of S24 were found to be associated with lower transport of these ions to the shoots whereas the reverse was true for Yecora Rojo. The lines did not differ in accumulation of either ion in roots. It is concluded that salt tolerance in these two genotypes of spring wheat is associated with restricted accumulation of toxic Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions to the shoots or with restricted transport.     

ATP-driven proton pumping in two species of Chara differing in salt tolerance

Chara corallina is an obligate freshwater alga, while C. buckellii can be grown in salt and freshwater culture. When grown in fresh water, C. buckellii has electrophysiological properties similar to C. corallina, but when cultured in salt water, it has a less negative membrane potential and has a higher conductance. We show in internally perfused, tonoplast-free cells that the ATP-dependence of the two species cultured in fresh water is similar, although C. buckellii hyperpolarizes at lower ATP concentrations. We determined the pump parameters in perfused and intact cells. Using both techniques, C. corallina and C. buckellii cultured in fresh water show similar values of E_p, G_p and I_p. However, there is a significant difference between the two techniques: E_p is more negative (–400 to –700 mV) in perfused cells than in intact cells (–220 to –260mV); G_p is lower (0·1–0·2 versus 0·3–0·9 S m^?2); and I_p is higher (40–60 versus 10–18 mA m^?2). Salt-cultured C. buckellii was compared with freshwater C. buckellii using intact cells; G_p and E_p were similar, but I_p was much higher in salt-cultured cells (60 versus 15mA m^?2). This higher pump rate is due to the depolarization of the membrane of salt-cultured algae, which is caused by a higher passive conductance. The significance of the less negative membrane potential and the higher rate of proton pumping is discussed with respect to the banding pattern and salt stress.     

Responses of antioxidative system to chilling stress in two rice cultivars differing in sensitivity

The responses of antioxidative system of rice to chilling were investigated in a tolerant cultivar, Xiangnuo-1, and a susceptible cultivar, IR-50. The electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content of Xiangnuo-1 were little affected by chilling treatment but those of IR-50 increased. Activities of suoperoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase, and ascorbic acid content of Xiangnuo-1 were remained high, while those of IR-50 decreased under chilling. The results indicated that higher activities of defense enzymes and higher content of antioxidant under stress were associated with tolerance to chilling.     

Growth and ion accumulation of two rapid-cycling Brassica species differing in salt tolerance

The response of two rapid-cycling Brassica species differing in tolerance to seawater salinity was studied over a period of 24 days. In response to 8 dS m⁻¹ salinity, the two Brassica species showed clear differences in the changes in relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR) and leaf area ratio (LAR). The RGR of B. napus was slightly reduced by salinity, wheareas the RGR of B. carinata was largely reduced in the early stages of salinization. LAR of B. napus was affected by salinity in the later stages of growth and significantly correlated with the reduction in RGR. On the other hand, the NAR of B. carinata was decreased by salinity, corresponding to the decrease of the RGR of B. carinata. The NAR of B. napus was not significantly affected by salinity according to analysis of covariance. The shoot concentrations of Na, Mg and Cl increased while the concentrations of K and Ca decreased sharply during the first 5 days of salinization; subsequently, all ion concentrations remained relatively constant. The concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg and Cl in the root were similarly affected by salinity. There were no significant differences of ion concentrations between species that could be related to the differences in salt tolerance. Thus, the differences in salt tolerance between species can not be related to differences in specific-ion effects, but may be related to some factor that reduces the NAR of B. carinata during the early stages of growth.