Cobalt reduces nitrate inhibition of nodulation in mungbean (Vigna radiata)

 A cobalt-mediated decrease in ethylene production reduced the inhibition of nodulation by nitrate in Vigna radiata (mungbean). Nitrate increased the ethylene production in 5-day-old seedlings, while it caused a reduction in the nodulation status (nodule number and nodule weight) and nodule efficiency (acetylene reduction activity) in mungbean plants. The application of cobalt chloride inhibited nitrate-affected ethylene production and also decreased the inhibitory effect of nitrate on nodulation. The effect of cobalt was most marked on nodule number. Received: 6 August 1999     

Nitrate alters the flavonoid profile and nodulation in pea (Pisum sativum L.)

A rhizosphere application of NO _inf3 ^sup- and/or naringenin affected the Pisum sativum — Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae symbiosis. NO _inf3 ^sup- (5 mM) lowered while naringenin raised the nodulation status (nodule numbers and weight) and nodule efficiency (C₂H₂ reduction activity). However, the inhibitory effect of NO _inf3 ^sup- was to some extent alleviated when applied in combination with naringenin. The plant biomass was increased by the application of NO _inf3 ^sup- and naringenin, either alone or in combination, while a higher root: shoot ratio was observed only in the naringenin-treated plants. Root flavonoids are known to regulate the expression of nod genes; their high-performance liquid chromatography profile was influenced in different ways by NO _inf3 ^sup- and naringenin.     

Salt-tolerance in Brassica juncea L. I. In vitro selection,agronomic evaluation and genetic stability

Summary In vitro selection of salt tolerant plants of Brassica juncea L. (Indian mustard) cv. Prakash has been accomplished by screening highly morphogenic cotyledon explant cultures on high NaCl media. Out of a total of 2,620 cotyledons cultured on high salt medium, 3 survived, showed sustained growth and regenerated shoots. They were multiplied by axillary bud culture on NaCl free medium. The salt-selected shoots retained salt tolerance following 3 month of growth and multiplication on control medium. While two of these somaclones flowered and set seeds, third one grew slowly, had abnormal leaf morphology and was sterile. The seed of the two fertile plants were sown in the field to raise R₁ segregating generation. Data were recorded for field, other agronomic components and oil content. The somaclonal lines, both selected salt-tolerant and non-selected, showed tremendous amount of variation for all the characters studied. One of the two tolerant somaclones invariably showed reduced height, longer reproductive phase and higher 1000 seed weight. Based on the agronomic performance of R₁ plants of these somaclones, some plants were selected and their progeny were evaluated for agronomic performance under standard field conditions and salt-tolerance in the greenhouse using sand pot culture method. Most of the lines bred true for their specific characteristics. In the greenhouse, selected salt-tolerant somaclones (SR-2 and SR-3) performed better for plant growth, yield and other agronomic traits at higher salt treatments, indicating thereby that salt-tolerance trait selected in vitro was expressed in the whole plants and is genetically stable and transmitted onto the progeny. The two tolerant lines, however, differed in their salt-tolerance during vegetative and reproductive phases as indicated by their salt-tolerance and stress susceptibility indices. The mechanism of salt-tolerance is not clear and needs to be further investigated.     

Salt-tolerance in Brassica juncea L. II. Salt-stress induced changes in polypeptide pattern of in vitro selected NaCl-tolerant plants

Summary The effect of salt-stress was studied on SDS-PAGE pattern of polypeptides in seedling, leaf and siliqua tissues of four genetically stable lines (SR2P1-2, SR3P2-1, SR3P6-1 and SR3P6-2) of in vitro selected NaCl-tolerant plants, a non-selected somaclone (CP5-2) and parent variety Prakash of Brassica juncea L. Seedlings were raised in 0, 50, 100 and 150 meq/l NaCl solutions and plants were irrigated with nutrient solution with 0, 30, 60 & 90 meq/l NaCl. Salinity induced distinct genotype specific changes in polypeptide pattern of leaf and siliqua tissues, while it had no effect on the polypeptide pattern of seedlings, radicle or hypocotyl tissues in any of the lines. In leaves, at vegetative stage, a high molecular weight protein of 53.2 kD while disappered at 60 mM and higher NaCl level in cv. Prakash and SR3P2-1, it appeared in SR2P1-2 and CP5-2 only at these higher salt levels and in SR3P6 lines it was present irrespective of stress conditions. Differences were also observed for a 93.8 kD protein which appeared anew under stress in cv. Prakash, CP5-2 and SR2P1-2, while it was absent in SR-3 lines. Intensity of the 57.3 kD protein decreased in cv. Prakash, increased in SR-2 and CP-5 lines whereas remained unchanged in SR-3 lines under salt-stress. In siliquae, salt stress induced the expression of four new polypeptides (56.1–70.8 kD) at 60 mM NaCl in cv. Prakash, and at 30 mM in SR2P1-2, SR3P2-1 and SR3P6-1 lines, while these were present in CP5-2 and SR3P6-2 even in the absence of NaCl stress.