Acta Physiologiae Plantarum

Chaitanya, Kolluru; Rasineni, Girish; Reddy, Attipalli

doi: 10.1007/s11738-008-0251-6pmid: N/A

Five popularly grown mulberry cultivars (K-2, MR-2, TR-10, BC2-59 and S-13) were subjected to drought stress by withholding irrigation, to obtain leaf water potentials (Ψw) ranging from −0.75, −1.50 and −2.25 MPa. Accumulation of proline, glycine betaine and abscisic acid (ABA) were quantified in control and water stressed mulberry leaves. The activities of enzymes involved in proline accumulation including glutamate dehydrogenase (EC1.4.1.2-4), pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (EC 1.2.1.41), pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (EC1.5.1.2), ornithine transaminase (EC 2.6.1.13) were significantly enhanced in the leaves of all the cultivars with decreasing leaf water potentials, while the activities of proline dehydrogenase (EC 1.5.1.2) were reduced with progressive increase in water stress. Accumulation of proline, glycine betaine and abscisic acid was relatively higher in S-13 and BC2-59 compared to K-2, MR-2 and TR-10 under water deficit conditions. Our results demonstrate that S-13 and BC2-59 have superior osmoprotectant mechanisms under water-limited growth regimes.

Neffati, Manel; Marzouk, Brahim

doi: 10.1007/s11738-008-0253-4pmid: N/A

An hydroponic culture was conducted to investigate the effect of saline stress on the essential oil and fatty acid composition of Tunisian coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) roots. Ten days old coriander seedlings were treated during 3 weeks with different NaCl concentrations (0, 25, 50 and 75 mM). Roots volatile components and fatty acids were analyzed. The essential oil yield was 0.06% in the control, on the basis of dry matter weight, and did not changed at low concentration (25 mM), while it increased significantly with increasing NaCl concentrations to reach 0.12 and 0.21% at 50 and 75 mM NaCl, respectively. The major volatile component was (E)-2-dodecenal with 52% of total essential oil constituents, followed by decanal, dodecanal, (E)-2-tridecenal and (E)-2-dodecenal. Further, the amount of these compounds was affected differently by the NaCl level. Total fatty acid amount of coriander roots increased significantly only with 50 and 75 mM NaCl. Three major fatty acids: linoleic (43%), oleic (25.5%) and palmitic (21.6%) were identified. Linoleic acid amount remains unchanged at 25 mM, while it increased with raising NaCl concentrations. However, oleic acid amount decreased only at 25 mM and no effect was observed at 50 and 75 mM. Fatty acid percentages were differently affected by salt. The oleic/linoleic ratio was reduced with raising NaCl concentrations.

Boughalleb, Fayçal; Denden, Mounir; Tiba, Bechir

doi: 10.1007/s11738-008-0254-3pmid: N/A

Nitraria retusa and Atriplex halimus (xero-halophytes) plants were grown in the range 0–800 mM NaCl while Medicago arborea (glycophyte) in 0–300 mM NaCl. Salt stress caused a marked decrease in osmotic potential and a significant accumulation of Na+ and Cl− in leaves of both species. Moderate salinity had a stimulating effect on growth rate, net CO2 assimilation, transpiration and stomatal conductance for the xero-halophytic species. At higher salinities, these physiological parameters decreased significantly, and their percentages of reduction were higher in A. halimus than in N. retusa whereas, in M. arborea they decreased linearly with salinity. Nitraria retusa PSII photochemistry and carotenoid content were unaffected by salinity, but a reduction in chlorophyll content was observed at 800 mM NaCl. Similar results were found in A. halimus, but with a decrease in the efficiency of PSII (F′v/F′m) occurred at 800 mM. Conversely, in M. arborea plants we observed a significant reduction in pigment concentrations and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. The marked toxic effect of Na+ and/or Cl− observed in M. arborea indicates that salt damage effect could be attributed to ions’ toxicity, and that the reduction in photosynthesis is most probably due to damages in the photosynthetic apparatus rather than factors affecting stomatal closure. For the two halophyte species, it appears that there is occurrence of co-limitation of photosynthesis by stomatal and non-stomatal factors. Our results suggest that both N. retusa and A. halimus show high tolerance to both high salinity and photoinhibition while M. arborea was considered as a slightly salt tolerant species.

Cha-um, S.; Charoenpanich, A.; Roytrakul, S.; Kirdmanee, C.

doi: 10.1007/s11738-008-0256-1pmid: N/A

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 (ΦPSII) 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.

Balaraju, K.; Agastian, P.; Ignacimuthu, S.

doi: 10.1007/s11738-008-0257-0pmid: N/A

An efficient in vitro plant regeneration protocol for Swertia chirata Buch.-Ham. ex Wall (Gentianaceae), a critically endangered Himalayan medicinal herb, was developed using shoot tip explants derived from in vitro grown seedlings. Media with 2% sucrose and various types of hormones markedly influenced in vitro propagation of S. chirata. An in vitro shootlet production system using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with various hormones such as BAP, KN and TDZ was established. BAP at 1.0 mg/l and KN, 0.1 mg/l induced highest number of multiple shoots (42.16 ± 1.05) per explant. Micro-proliferated shoots were transferred to elongation medium amended with GA3 (0.1 mg/l) and hormone free basal medium, after which they were transferred to rooting medium. The highest frequency of rooting (22.48 ± 1.08) was obtained in half-strength MS medium supplemented with NAA, 0.1 mg/l after testing with different auxins at various concentrations within 4 weeks of transfer to the rooting medium. Hardening was successfully attained under controlled conditions inside the plant tissue culture room. This method could effectively be applied for the conservation and clonal propagation to meet the pharmaceutical demands.

Singh, Shashi; Rai, Manoj; Asthana, Pooja; Pandey, Sarita; Jaiswal, V.; Jaiswal, U.

doi: 10.1007/s11738-008-0250-7pmid: N/A

This article demonstrates the plantlet regeneration from alginate-encapsulated shoot tips of Spilanthes acmella. Shoot tip explants excised from in vitro proliferated shoots were encapsulated in calcium alginate beads. The best gel complexation for encapsulation of shoot tips was achieved using 3% sodium alginate and 100 mM calcium chloride. Maximum percent response for the conversion of encapsulated shoot tips into plantlets was obtained on growth regulator-free full-strength liquid MS (Murashige and Skoog, Physiol Plant 15:473–497, 1962) medium. The addition of MS nutrients in alginate matrix was found to have pronounced effect on shoot and root emergence from alginate beads. Encapsulated shoot tips could be stored at low temperature (4°C) up to 60 days. Plantlets regenerated from encapsulated shoot tips were acclimatized successfully. The present synthetic seed technology could be useful in large-scale propagation as well as short-term conservation and germplasm distribution and exchange of Spilanthes acmella.

Bor, Melike; Seckin, B.; Ozgur, R.; Yılmaz, O.; Ozdemir, F.; Turkan, I.

doi: 10.1007/s11738-008-0255-2pmid: N/A

Gamma-aminobutryric acid (GABA) accumulation in response to diverse stresses is well known in plants; however, the comparative effects of different environmental stresses on GABA accumulation was not addressed in the same plant system. Here, we investigated GABA accumulation comparatively in sesame (Sesamum indicum L. cv. Cumhuriyet) plant under drought, salt, heavy metal (Se) and high-temperature stresses. Plants were stressed by application of 5% PEG-6000, 150 mM NaCl, 100 μg g−1 Se and high temperature (50°C for 2 h). Root and shoot growth reduced after PEG, NaCl, Se and high-temperature treatments. Among these, heavy metal treatment had the highest and earliest effect on growth. GABA accumulation could be related to stress perception rather than protection in sesame plant if we consider that the adverse effects of different abiotic stresses on growth were not elevated by GABA.