Zinc seed priming improves salt resistance in maize

Salt stress is a major yield‐limiting factor in crops by reducing nutrient uptake and plant growth. Under salt stress, decreased water and nutrient uptake results in nutrient imbalance in plants. In addition, at high pH in saline conditions, solubility of minerals is also reduced leading to low availability of certain nutrients. Perspectives to overcome these limitations by Zn seed priming were studied with maize plants exposed to NaCl as salt stress. Maize seeds were primed for 24 hr in deionized water and 4 mm ZnSO₄·7H₂O solution (ZnP) and subsequently air‐dried at room temperature before further use. The DTZ (diphenylthiocarbazone) staining method was used for showing Zn²⁺ localization in the seeds. Zn²⁺ and other nutrient concentrations in unprimed, water and ZnP seeds and maize plants were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP‐MS). Maize plants (cv. Sun star L.) were grown for 3 weeks in complete nutrient solution with or without salt stress (100 mm NaCl) under glasshouse conditions. Seed Zn²⁺ contents were increased after ZnP treatment by 600%. In maize seeds, most of the primed Zn²⁺ accumulated in the outer tissues (particularly, aleurone layer) of maize seed. Zn priming decreased the injurious effects of salt stress on plant growth. Under salt stress conditions, biomass production of plants from ZnP treatments was 25% higher compared to water priming treatment. Zn seed priming also improved mineral nutrient status of plants grown in both control and salt stress conditions. Plants from ZnP treatments also showed higher accumulation of Na⁺ in the shoots. This offers perspectives for using Zn seed priming for improving early seedling development and plant nutrient status of maize under salt stress conditions.     

SHORT COMMUNICATION: Effect of Salt Stress on Peruvian Germplasm of Chenopodium quinoa Willd.: A Promising Crop

Soil salinity is a major problem in today’s agriculture. Quinoa has become an important crop because it exhibits high levels of salinity tolerance. In addition, its seeds contain an excellent balance of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and proteins for human nutrition. The quinoa germplasm includes almost 2500 accessions, some of which have been tested under salt stress. Here, we report the effect of NaCl on the germination of 182 previously untested accessions. When seeds were irrigated with saline water at 30 dS m^?1 EC, the stress appeared to be too high: all accessions showed less than 60 % germination. In contrast, irrigation with 25 dS m^?1 EC saline water allowed over 60 % germination in 15 accessions. These latter accessions’ agricultural traits were then evaluated. The overall coefficients of variation indicated that quinoa genotype and salt treatment dramatically influence root dry mass per plant, but do not noticeably affect the length of the plant’s life cycle. Unexpectedly, salt treatment resulted in increased plant height, leaf dry mass and grain yield. Using Euclidean distance for the simultaneous selection of these five agricultural traits, accessions 100, 136, 127 and 105 proved to be the best performing genotypes under salt stress.     

Seed priming improves germination in saline conditions for Chenopodium quinoa and Amaranthus caudatus

Seed priming has proved to be an effective method in imparting stress tolerance to plants using natural and/or synthetic compounds to treat the seeds before germination. The present work aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of priming treatments in seeds of Chenopodium quinoa and Amaranthus caudatus to improve germination under NaCl. Species‐specific protocols for seed hydropriming and osmopriming were established by germinating seeds under different water potentials and creating seed imbibition curves. Primed seeds were then germinated under different concentrations of NaCl, and the effect of priming was analysed based on the parameters, such as final germination percentage (FGP), germination index (GI) and mean germination time (MGT). Seed hydropriming and osmopriming caused significant improvements in germination velocity and uniformity, reflected in high FGP, high GI and reduced MGT under salinity. C. quinoa had a higher tolerance to salinity than A. caudatus during seed germination. Improved germination in salinity resulted from osmopriming seeds with solutions of low water potential for A. caudatus, while for C. quinoa, this effect was achieved from hydropriming and osmopriming seeds with solutions of high water potential. Primed tolerance to moderate salinity was achieved for A. caudatus, and for both species, the salinity threshold for germination to occur was slightly broadened.     

种子引发对碱胁迫下甜高粱种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响

为研究碱胁迫下种子引发对萌发及幼苗生长的影响,以甜高粱杂交种‘通甜1号’为试验材料,利用500 μmol/L γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)对种子进行引发处理。采用盆栽土培试验,将NaHCO₃:Na₂CO₃=5:1的混合碱胁迫液设3个水平(0、50、100 mmol/L)模拟碱胁迫,研究GABA种子引发处理对碱胁迫下高粱种子萌发状况及幼苗生长的影响。结果表明：随着碱胁迫强度增加,无论是经过引发处理的种子还是未经过引发处理的种子,其吸水量、萌发指数、出苗率和成苗率显著下降,幼苗生长受到限制,生物量积累降低。同等碱胁迫浓度下,经过引发处理的种子与未经过引发处理的种子相比,种子吸水量、萌发指数、胚的生长及幼苗叶面积均显著提高。低浓度碱胁迫条件下,经过引发处理的种子与未经过引发处理的种子相比,幼苗的出苗率和存活率较高、生长至第7天的株高和茎粗及总生物量均显著增加。试验表明,经过引发处理的种子可以不同程度地提高碱胁迫下甜高粱种子萌发指数,缓解碱胁迫对幼苗的不利条件,促进幼苗生长,提高耐碱性。     

Changes in Hormonal Balance: A Possible Mechanism of Pre‐Sowing Chilling‐Induced Salt Tolerance in Spring Wheat

There is a lack of knowledge about factors contributing to the chilling‐induced alleviatory effects on growth of plants under salt stress. Thus, the primary objective of the study was to determine whether chilling‐induced changes in endogenous hormones, ionic partitioning within shoots and roots and/or gaseous exchange characteristics is involved in salt tolerance of two genetically diverses of wheat crops. For this purpose, the seeds of two spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars, MH‐97 (salt intolerant) and Inqlab‐91 (salt tolerant) were chilled at 3°C for 2 weeks. The chilled, hydroprimed and non‐primed (control) seeds of the two wheat cultivars were sown in both Petri dishes in a growth room and in the field after treatment with 15 dS m^?1 NaCl salinity. Chilling was very effective in increasing germination rate and subsequent growth when compared with hydropriming and control under salt stress. Results from field experiments clearly indicated the efficacy of chilling over hydropriming in improving shoot dry biomass and grain yield in either cultivar, particularly under salt stress. This increase in growth and yield was related to increased net photosynthetic rate, greater potential to uptake and accumulate the beneficial mineral elements (K⁺ and Ca²⁺) in the roots and reduced uptake and accumulation of toxic mineral element (Na⁺) in the shoots of both wheat cultivars when grown under salt stress. Salt‐stressed plants of both wheat cultivars raised from chilled seed had greater concentrations of indoleacetic acid, abscisic acid, salicylic acid and spermine when compared with hydropriming and control. Therefore, induction of salt tolerance by pre‐sowing chilling treatment in wheat could be attributed to its beneficial effects on ionic homeostasis and hormonal balance. The results presented are also helpful to understand the chilling‐induced cross adaptation of plants in natural environments. Moreover, efficacy of pre‐sowing chilling treatment over hydropriming suggested its commercial utilization as a low risk priming treatment for better wheat crop production under stressful environments.     

Comparative Effects of Salt and Water Stress on Seed Germination and Early Embryo Growth in Two Cultivars of Sweet Sorghum

In semiarid regions of the Mediterranean basin, water and salinity stresses restrict crop establishment. The effects of salt and water stress on seed germination and early embryo growth (radicle and shoot growth) were investigated in laboratory in two cultivars of sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] – cv. ‘90‐5‐2′ and cv. ‘Keller’ – to verify how these stresses may limit crop growth during the very early stages of growing season. Six water potentials (ψ) of the imbibition solution (from 0 to ?1.0 MPa) in NaCl or polyethylene glycol (PEG) for salt and water stress tests, respectively, were studied. Daily germination was recorded, and radicle and shoot lengths and dry weights (DWs) were measured 2 days after initial germination. Seed germination was reduced (8–30% lower than control) by water stress at ψ 相似文献   

Temperature, Osmotic Pressure and Seed Treatments Influence Imbibition Rates in Sorghum Seeds

Imbibition is an essential part of the germination process and is affected by various environmental factors. The effects of temperature, seed treatment, storage and osmotic pressure on primed and untreated sorghum seed were examined. The potential influence of NaCl‐based seed‐soaking treatments was also investigated. Experiments on sorghum seeds showed that imbibition rates were higher in untreated than in primed seeds after more than 24 h of soaking and that a rise in priming temperature increased imbibition to a greater extent in the former. The influence of imbibition in regulating the seed response to priming, heat and osmotic stress is discussed.     

Seed treatments to overcome salt and drought stress during germination in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The treated seeds (control, KNO₃ and hydropriming) of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cultivar Sanbro were evaluated at germination and seedling growth for tolerance to salt (NaCl) and drought conditions induced by PEG-6000 at the same water potentials of 0.0, −0.3, −0.6, −0.9 and −1.2 MPa. Electrical conductivity (EC) values of the NaCl solutions were 0.0, 6.5, 12.7, 18.4 and 23.5 dS m⁻¹, respectively. The objective of the study was to determine factors responsible for germination and early seedling growth due to salt toxicity or osmotic effect and to optimize the best priming treatment for these stress conditions.

Results revealed that germination delayed in both solutions, having variable germination with different priming treatments. Germination, root and shoot length were higher but mean germination time and abnormal germination percentage were lower in NaCl than PEG at the same water potential. Seeds were able to germinate at all concentrations of NaCl but no seed germination was observed at −1.2 MPa of PEG treatments. NaCl had less inhibitor effect on seedling growth than the germination. It was concluded that inhibition of germination at the same water potential of NaCl and PEG resulted from osmotic effect rather than salt toxicity. Hydropriming increased germination and seedling growth under salt and drought stresses.     

种子引发对水分胁迫下水稻发芽及幼苗生理性状的影响

不同基因型稻种经水引发及聚乙二醇(PEG)渗透胁迫引发处理均能降低稻种丙二醛(MDA)含量,促进可溶性总糖(SS)降解,加快稻种内部糖代谢进程,提高相溶性溶质脯氨酸(Pro)及可溶性蛋白质(SP)含量,也有利于提高苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性,引发效果较明显。且适度PEG引发稻种的效果明显好于水引发,杂交籼稻在PEG浓度为20%的条件下引发效果最优,而常规粳型水稻在PEG浓度为10%~15%的引发条件下效果较好,但超出最高PEG引发浓度的阈值,会对稻种产生危害,影响其正常萌发。引发处理后的稻种对不同程度水分胁迫程度的响应表明,适当强度的引发处理利于激发稻种物质代谢、利于各水稻品种的萌发、幼苗形态指标及保护性酶等生理指标的显著提高,而严重的水分胁迫均不利于稻种萌发;表明引发处理虽能提高水分胁迫条件下种子活力,但稻种激发自身对外界萌发环境的协调能力有限,且不同品种间存在明显差异,籼稻优于粳稻。     

Genetic variation in root development responses to salt stresses of quinoa

Soil salinity has become a serious environmental abiotic stress limiting crop productivity and quality. The root system is the first organ sensing the changes in salinity. Root development under elevated salinity is therefore an important indicator for saline tolerance in plants. Previous studies focused on varietal differences in morphological traits of quinoa under saline stresses; however, variation in root development responses to salinity remains largely unknown. To understand the genetic variation in root development responses to salt stress of quinoa, we conducted a preliminary screening for salinity response at two salinity levels of a diverse set of 52 quinoa genotypes and microsatellite markers were used to link molecular variation to that in root development responses to salt stresses of represented genotypes. The frequency distribution of saline tolerance index showed continuous variation in the quinoa collection. Cluster analysis of salinity responses divided the 52 quinoa genotypes into six major groups. Based on these results, six genotypes representative of groups I to VI including Black quinoa, 2-Want, Atlas, Riobamba, NL-6 and Sayaña, respectively, were selected to evaluate root development under four saline stress levels: 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl. Contrasts in root development responses to saline stress levels were observed in the six genotypes. At 100 mM NaCl, significant differences were not observed in root length development (RLD) and root surface development (RSAD) of most genotypes except Black quinoa; a significant reduction was observed in this genotype as compared to controls. At 200 mM NaCl, significant reduction was detected in RLD and RSAD in all genotypes showing this as the best concentration to discriminate among genotypes. The strongest inhibition of root development was found for all genotypes at 300 mM NaCl as compared to lower saline levels. Among genotypes, Atlas of group III shows as a saline-tolerant genotype confirming previous reports. Variation in root responses to salinity stresses is also discussed in relation to climate conditions of origins of the genotypes and reveal interesting guidelines for further studies exploring the mechanisms behind this aspect of saline adaptation.     

沙引发对紫花苜蓿种子盐逆境下发芽及幼苗生理生化变化的影响

试验以紫花苜蓿品种维多利亚和金皇后种子为材料，研究了沙引发处理对高盐(0．8％NaCl)逆境下种子发芽及幼苗生理生化变化的影响。结果表明，沙引发处理能显著提高紫花苜蓿两个品种种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数和活力指数，缩短平均发芽时间，显著增加幼苗干重，同时提高了过氧化氢酶(CAT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性，减少丙二醛(MDA)的积累。说明沙引发提高了紫花苜蓿种子的活力和抗盐胁迫能力，促进了盐逆境下种子的萌发和幼苗生长。     

种子沙引发对转基因抗虫棉耐盐性的影响

 以转基因抗虫棉花品种中棉所41和浙905为材料,以其遗传背景品种中棉所23为对照,研究了种子沙引发处理对转基因抗虫棉品种在0%、1.0%和1.5% NaCl浓度下的萌发率、出土率和幼苗生长特性的影响。结果表明,沙引发处理对转基因抗虫棉品种在盐胁迫下的种子萌发和幼苗生长具有明显的效果,但对于非转基因棉品种的效果不明显。幼苗子叶、茎秆和根的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性、过氧化物酶（POD）活性和丙二醛（MDA）含量测定结果表明,沙引发处理使棉花幼苗的子叶和根部维持了较高的SOD与POD活性,但显著减少幼苗体内MDA的积累,说明沙引发有助于促进棉花在逆境下幼苗生长发育和抗逆性的提高。     

PEG预处理对刺槐种子抗盐性的影响

刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia Linn.)种子经过不同浓度PEG6 000水溶液浸种24h,然后观察种子在不同梯度NaCl胁迫下发芽.结果表明:10%PEG预处理下种子的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数以及活力指数等指标最好;对照种子随着NaCl胁迫的加强各指标逐渐下降;20%PEG预处理种子的各指标变化无规律.不同预处理种子的表现说明水分胁迫与NaCl胁迫存在着一定的共性机理,但也有差异.     

磁化NaCl胁迫溶液对水稻种子萌发的影响

研究磁化强度对NaCl胁迫下水稻种子萌发和幼苗生理的影响。方法：用不同强度的磁化NaCl胁迫溶液浸种并喷洒水稻种子及幼苗,测定种子的发芽指标和幼苗的生理指标。实验结果表明：经0.05T的磁化强度处理后,与对照相比,水稻种子萌发的发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数和幼苗中可溶性糖含量有明显提高,达到显著性差异水平;溶液经不同磁化处理后,过氧化物酶活性增强,表现为酶带增多,酶带加粗;对酯酶同工酶影响不太明显。结论：研究表明一定强度的磁化处理可以提高盐胁迫下水稻种子的萌发能力和幼苗的抗盐能力。     

盐引发对不同水分条件下油菜种子发芽成苗的影响

试验用两个油菜(Brassica napus L.)品种"双72"和"浙油758"研究了Ca(NO3)2溶液引发对油菜种子在不同水分条件下发芽和幼苗生长的影响,探讨通过引发来提高大田直播油菜的活力.结果表明,经过引发处理后,两个油菜品种在30%的水分条件下无法发芽;在20%和25%的水分条件下种子的发芽指数显著提高,平均发芽天数显著缩短,幼苗POD活性显著提高,而幼苗的根长、苗高、苗干重、叶绿素含量和CAT活性与对照相比没有显著差异.引发后的"浙油758"种子在20%和25%水分条件下,发芽势和发芽率显著提高,而"双72"种子的发芽势在20%水分时显著高于对照.试验表明盐引发提高了油菜种子在水分逆境下的活力,提高了幼苗的抗逆性.     

NaCl浸种对水稻种子发芽的影响

研究不同浓度的NaCl溶液浸种对水稻种子发芽和幼苗生长的影响。以0.5%、1.0%、1.5%、2.0%等4种浓度的NaCl溶液浸种24 h,以蒸馏水(CK)为对照,测定水稻‘空育131’种子的发芽指标与幼苗生长状态。实验结果表明：随着NaCl浓度的升高,水稻种子发芽能力受到抑制的程度增大,水稻种子的发芽率、发芽势及发芽指数均呈下降趋势,各个处理浓度浸种对幼苗影响不显著。研究表明水稻种子萌发能忍耐的NaCl处理浓度为0.5%以下,高于0.5%的NaCl对水稻发芽起显著抑制作用。     

Identification of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] lines tolerant to soil salinity

Crop tolerance to salinity is of high importance due to the extent and the constant increase in salt-affected areas in arid and semi-arid regions. Pearl millet (Pennistum glaucum), generally considered as fairly tolerant to salinity, could be an alternative crop option for salt affected areas. To explore the genotypic variability of vegetative-stage salinity tolerance, 100 pearl millet lines from ICRISAT breeding programs were first screened in a pot culture containing Alfisol with 250 mM NaCl solution as basal application. Subsequently, 31 lines including many parents of commercial hybrids, selected from the first trial were re-tested for confirmation of the initial salinity responses. Substantial variation for salinity tolerance was found on the basis of shoot biomass ratio (shoot biomass under salinity/ non-saline control) and 22 lines with a wide range of tolerance varying from highly tolerant to sensitive entries were identified. The performance of the genotypes was largely consistent across experiments. In a separate seed germination and seedling growth study, the seed germination was found to be adversely affected (more than 70% decrease) in more than half of the genotypes with 250 mM concentration of NaCl. The root growth ratio (root growth under salinity/control) as well as shoot growth ratio was measured at 6 DAS and this did not reflect the whole plant performance at 39 DAS. In general, the whole plant salinity tolerance was associated with reduced shoot N content, increased K⁺ and Na⁺ contents. The K⁺/Na⁺ and Ca⁺⁺/Na⁺ ratios were also positively related to the tolerance but not as closely as the Na⁺ content. Therefore, it is concluded that a large scope exists for improving salt tolerance in pearl millet and that shoot Na⁺ concentration could be considered as a potential non-destructive selection criterion for vegetative-stage screening. The usefulness of this criterion for salinity response with respect to grain and stover yield remains to be investigated.     

种子盐引发对转基因抗虫棉耐盐性的影响

以2个转基因抗虫陆地棉品种为材料,以其遗传背景品种为对照,研究种子引发对转基因抗虫棉在NaCl胁迫条件下的种子萌发和田间出苗的影响。结果表明,0.5%的NaCl处理显著地降低陆地棉种子发芽势和发芽率,其中转基因抗虫棉品种(中棉所41和浙905)的种子萌发和田间出苗率差于遗传背景亲本(中棉所23)。种子盐引发处理可以有效地缓解NaCl的胁迫作用,显著地提高种子的发芽势、发芽率和田间出苗率,显著地提高棉花种子的耐盐性。种子盐引发处理对转基因抗虫棉品种的效果优于非转基因抗虫棉的背景品种。引发剂种类对于其耐盐性的影响有一定的差异,以K2SO4的效果更好,且引发剂的浓度与引发时间之间存在着一定的互作效应,高浓度引发剂的处理时间宜短,而低浓度引发剂的处理时间应适当延长。     

Yield and Quality Characteristics of Quinoa Grown in Open Field Under Different Saline and Non‐Saline Irrigation Regimes

A possible alternative to minimize the effects of salt and drought stress is the introduction of species tolerating these conditions with a good adaptability in terms of quantitative and qualitative yield. So quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) cultivar Titicaca was grown in an open field trial in 2009 and 2010 to investigate the effects of salt and drought stress on quantitative and qualitative aspects of the yield. Treatments irrigated with well water (Q100, Q50 and Q25) and corresponding treatments irrigated with saline water (Q100S, Q50S and Q25S) with an electrical conductivity (EC_w) of 22 dS m^?1 were compared. Salt and drought stress in both years did not cause significant yield reduction, while the highest level of saline water resulted in higher mean seed weight and as a consequence the increase in fibre and total saponin content in quinoa seeds.     

Effects of Epichloë endophyte infection on growth,physiological properties and seed germination of wild barley under saline conditions

Wild barley (Hordeum brevisubulatum) is a grass that inhabits alkalized meadows in northern China. An asexual Epichloë bromicola endophyte was detected in seeds and leaf sheaths in all wild barley samples from Gansu Province, China. In this research, we determined the effects of the E. bromicola endophyte on growth, physiological properties and seed germination of wild barley under salt stress through a set of experiments. Our results demonstrate that endophyte-infected (E+) plants produced more tillers, higher biomass and yield, higher chlorophyll content and superoxide dismutase activity than endophyte-free (E−) plants under high salt stress. Seed germination parameters of E+ biotype were significantly higher than those of E− plants when NaCl concentration reached 200 and 300 mM. Our results demonstrate that E. bromicola endophytes increased tolerance to salt stress in wild barley by increasing seed germination and growth, and altering plant physiology.