Effect of interaction between salinity and nanoparticles (Fe2O3 and ZnO) on physiological parameters of Zea mays L.

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of zinc oxide (ZnO) and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles on the growth of two maize cultivars under the saline condition. Salt stress induced decreases of shoot, root dry weight, leaf area and leaf gas exchange of S.C. 704 more than Bulk. The increase of salinity level, chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content and iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentrations under all spray treatments declined. Application of ZnO and Fe₂O₃ significantly enhanced the root growth (17%), net carbon dioxide (CO₂), assimilation rate (8%) and sub-stomatal CO₂ concentration (5%) of maize compared to control. Nanoparticles of Fe₂O₃ and ZnO caused an increase in leaf Fe (22%) and Zn (11%) concentrations, respectively, compared with normal forms. According to the results, although the alleviation effects of Zn and Fe have been demonstrated under stress conditions, nanoparticles were more effective than normal forms, which may be due to their shape, size, distribution and characteristics.     

Changes induced by plastic film mulches on soil temperature and their relevance in growth and fruit yield of pickling cucumber

Purpose: The aim of this study was to realize whether soil mulching, with different plastic mulch colors, is a suitable practice for the culture of pickling cucumber.

Materials and Methods: The crop was cultured or not with black, silver/black, white/black, and aluminum/black plastic films, treatments were evaluated in randomized complete block design, to determine their effect on soil temperature, gas exchange, nutrient concentration, growth, and fruit yield.

Results and Conclusions: Black, silver/black, and aluminum/black plastic mulches were higher (p?≤?0.05) in plant height, leaf area, and shoot dry weight than bare soil at 15 days after sowing, whose results were similar than using white/black film. Maximum, minimum, and mean soil temperatures were higher with all plastic mulches except for aluminum/black, in which the maximum soil temperature was similar to the one in bare soil. There was no difference in net photosynthesis and there was very little difference in nutrient concentration between plants in plastic mulches and plants in bare soil; however, early and total yield showed a higher (p?≤?0.05) yield in all plastic mulches, and lower with bare soil and white/black plastic mulch. Our results confirm that soil mulching impacts the pickling cucumber yield. We suggest a carefull selection of the color plastic mulch.     

Photosynthesis,growth, and fruit yield of cucumber in response to oxo-degradable plastic mulches

The use of plastic mulch is associated with a higher increase in yield of vegetables. However, at the end of the growing season for each crop, plastic mulching can create environmental pollution that can cause negative impacts on the environment that could be solved by the use of degradable plastics. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oxo-degradable plastic mulches on soil temperature, growth, gas exchange, and cucumber crop yield. The study was conducted in two locations in the northeast of Mexico during the spring and summer of 2013. The plastic mulch colors with additives were blue, green, and red and each color having 8% and 12% of pigment and 22% and 23% of Titanium dioxide (Rutile). The resultant treatments were compared with the black plastic mulch, which is the standard plastic in the world, and bare soil in a randomized complete block design with three replications in two locations. The mean soil temperature at both locations was statistically higher in black plastic mulch, followed by the oxo-degradable plastics mulches and lowest in the control. Gas exchange was not affected by plastic mulches. SPAD units as the index of chlorophyll content in leaves were very little affected by plastic mulch. Both, commercial and total yield were statistically similar in the oxo-degradable plastic mulches and the black plastic mulch, and lowest in the control. Plastics with higher concentrations of pigment registered higher degradation in both locations. Our results suggest that different plastic mulches impact positively on the yield of cucumber crop. The benefit in yield by the different plastic mulches in the conditions of this study was due to their soil warming ability that results in improved soil temperature, leaf area, and plant dry weight.     

Effect of grafting on the growth and ion concentrations of cucumber seedlings under NaCl stress

Abstract

To assess whether grafting raised the salt tolerance of cucumber seedlings by limiting transport of Na⁺ to the leaf and to test whether the salt tolerance of grafted plants was affected by the shoot genotype, two cucumber cultivars (“Jinchun No. 2”, a relatively salt-sensitive cultivar, and “Zaoduojia”, a relative salt-tolerant cultivar) were grafted onto rootstock pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch. cv. “Chaojiquanwang”, a salt-tolerant cultivar). Ungrafted plants were used as controls. The effects of grafting on plant growth and ion concentrations were investigated under NaCl stress. Reductions in the shoot and root dry weights, leaf area and stem diameter of grafted plants were lower and concentrations of K⁺ and Cl^? in the leaves were higher than those of ungrafted plants under the same NaCl stress. The Na⁺ concentration and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio in scion leaves and in the stems of grafted plants were lower, whereas those in rootstock stems and roots were higher than in ungrafted plants under the same NaCl stress. Shoot and root dry weight, leaf area and stem diameter were negatively correlated with leaf Na⁺ concentrations and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio, but were positively correlated with leaf K⁺ concentrations. The Na⁺ concentrations and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio were lower, whereas the K⁺ concentrations in the leaves of grafted “Zaoduojia” plants were higher than those in grafted “Jinchun No. 2” plants under the same NaCl stress. The reductions in leaf area and stem diameter of grafted “Jinchun No. 2” plants were more severe than those of grafted “Zaoduojia” plants. These results indicate that: (1) the higher salt tolerance of grafted cucumber seedlings is associated with lower Na⁺ concentrations and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio and higher K⁺ concentrations in the leaves, (2) grafting improved the salt tolerance of cucumber seedlings by limiting the transport of Na⁺ to the leaves, (3) the salt tolerance of grafted cucumber seedlings is related to the shoot genotype.     

Effect of dimethylarsenic acid (DMAA) on growth,tissue arsenic,and photosynthesis of rice plants

The effect of dimethylarsenic acid (DMAA) applied to the root on arsenic (As) uptake and concentration, net photosynthesis (Pn), and growth parameters of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. ‘Mercury') plants was studied. The experiment consisted of four treatments (0, 0.2, 0.8, and 1.6 mg As/L) with four replications in a completely randomized design. The DMAA was applied in nutrient solution as its sodium salt. The solution culture was changed every four days to avoid changes in the As chemical form. Arsenic uptake and concentration in shoot and root increased upon increased DMAA concentration in solution. Upon uptake, DMAA was readily translocated to the shoot. At the two higher rates of DMAA application (0.8 and 1.6 mg As/L), Pn and photosynthetic capacity were significantly decreased in response to tissue As concentration. Leaf area and dry matter production were also significantly reduced at the two higher rates of DMAA. At the lower rate (0.2 mg As/L) of DMAA application, there was no significant reduction in Pn or growth. Dimethylarsenic acid application did not affect nutrient allocation within the rice plant at concentration levels used in this study.     

水分胁迫对金露梅叶片水势、光合特性和水分利用效率的影响

为解决青海高寒区绿化植物的栽培驯化问题,并为金露梅栽植的科学管理及高寒区水资源有效利用提供理论基础,以2年生金露梅幼苗为研究对象,通过盆栽方法人为控制土壤水分条件,测定不同土壤水分条件下金露梅苗木的光合生理特征,研究金露梅光合生理特性及其与土壤水分的相互关系.结果显示:1)金露梅凋萎系数为4.02％左右;2)土壤水分对金露梅叶水势及光合作用的影响具有阈值现象,净光合速率最大时土壤含水量为20.83％,水合补偿点为4.38％,水分利用效率最大时土壤含水量为13.82％;3)在砂壤土条件下,金露梅生长最适宜的土壤水分环境为8.33％ ～12.71％,此范围内既可以维持植物基本的生长所需,又可以最大程度提高水分利用效率;4)青海地区在金露梅盛花期(7月),在无降雨的情况下,每2～3周补充一次水分能维持金露梅较好生长.2～3周的持续干旱所造成的伤害在灌水后可逐渐恢复,但连续1个月无任何供水会使金露梅死亡.     

高温胁迫下外源褪黑素对黄瓜幼苗光合作用及叶绿素荧光的影响

以\"津春4号\"黄瓜品种为试验材料,采用喷施外源褪黑素(melatonin,MT)的方法,研究了MT对高温胁迫下黄瓜幼苗叶片光合作用和叶绿素荧光参数的影响.结果表明:高温处理后黄瓜幼苗叶片净光合速率(Pn)降低,气孔导度(Gs)、胞间CO2浓度(Ci)、蒸腾速率(Tr)却增大,但随外源MT处理浓度的增加,黄瓜幼苗叶片内P...     

干旱及复水对玉米叶片光合特性的影响

盆栽条件下,以玉米品种户单4号为材料,设正常供水(CK)、中度水分胁迫(MS)和重度水分胁迫(SS)三个水分处理,研究了拔节期和孕穗期水分胁迫及复水对玉米叶片光合、叶绿素荧光的影响,以期为玉米补偿机制的阐明提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)干旱胁迫使叶水势(ψleaf)降低,复水后拔节期重度胁迫叶水势迅速恢复并超过对照,而孕穗期则恢复缓慢;(2)拔节期和孕穗期重度胁迫降低了叶片净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)、胞间CO2浓度(Ci)、PSII最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)及光化学猝灭系数(qP),但复水5d后可基本恢复至对照;Ci最低,气孔限制值(Ls)较对照分别增加了6.85%,9.52%,Fv/Fm值分别降低了1.72%和0.61%,表明气孔限制是Pn降低的主要原因;(3)拔节期重度胁迫叶的水分利用效率(WUE)高于对照,表现出补偿效应;孕穗期干旱胁迫下WUE表现为:MS>CK>SS,在复水第一天达最大值,随后趋于降低。说明拔节期和孕穗期光合特性变化存在差异性。     

Adjustment of mineral ratio and composition in rice genotypes under varied salinity regimes

A study of the salinity effect on mineral content in rice genotypes differing in salt tolerance was conducted in a factorial Completely Randomized Design experiment. The results indicated that the genotypes developed differently by mutation conventional breeding. NS15 represented as salt-sensitive, Pokkali was included as an internationally salt-tolerant check and Iratom24 was moderately tolerant. The content of Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Cl^? followed an increasing pattern in roots and shoots of all the rice genotypes due to increasing salinity levels except Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the root. However, the concentration of K⁺ showed more or less an increasing pattern in root and a decreasing pattern in shoot. The concentration of Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ sharply increased with increasing the salinity levels in both the roots and shoots of NS15. The concentration of K⁺ sharply decreased in shoot and increased in the root of susceptible genotype NS15 with increasing salinity over 6 dS m^?1 salinity levels, where the transformation of K⁺ from root to shoot was disrupted by Na⁺. The Cl^? content sharply increased with increasing salinity in the root of NS15 as compared to shoot. The effect of different salinity levels on Na⁺/K⁺ ratio in the shoots of the selected rice genotypes sharply increased in susceptible genotype NS15 as compared to the other genotypes.     

Interactive effects of Si and NaCl on growth,yield, photosynthesis,and ions content in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa var Camarosa)

The effects of silicon (Si) (0, 1, and 2 mM) and sodium chloride (NaCl) salinity (0, 20, and 40 mM) on the yield, photosynthesis, and ion content in strawberry grown in hydroponics were investigated. Salinity caused a reduction in leaf area and plant biomass, regardless of Si supplement. Leaf area in Si₁Na₂₀ treatment was 37% higher than that of Si₀Na₂₀ treatment. Salinity at 20 mM concentration had a 25% yield reduction in absence of Si, corresponding to no reduction in the yield in the presence of Si compared with the Si treatment without salinity. The highest reduction of photosynthetic rate (Pn) was observed in Si₁Na₄₀ treatment; however, in the presence of Si, there was no reduction in the Pn rate at 20 mM NaCl concentration. An obvious positive relationship was found between potassium/sodium (K/Na) and Pn rate. Within each Si concentration, the increased salinity increased Na concentration in the leaf tissue. However, when Si was supplied to the salinity treatments Na concentration was significantly lower than that of the similar treatments without Si. Supplement of Si to the nutrient solution increased the Si concentration in the roots, and old and young leaves. A clear negative relationship (r² = 0.71) was found between Si and Na concentration in the leaves. Salinity (NaCl₄₀) increased the proline level 2.5-fold in the absence of Si, corresponding to no changes the proline level in the presence of 1 mM Si concentration compared with the Si treatment without salinity. The salinity (40 mM) increased the electroleakage by 50% compared with 0 mM NaCl treatment in the absence of Si supplement. Findings from this study lead to the conclusion that Si supplement to the nutrient solution ameliorated the deleterious effect of salinity on the strawberry growth; these effects were attributed to an enhanced K/Na ratio and the reduction in Na content and electroleakage ability in the leaf tissue.     

Nutrient demand modeling of a soilless cucumber crop under greenhouses conditions in a humid tropical climate

ABSTRACT

This experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in Vinces Los Rios (Ecuador). The aim of this work is to evaluate the relationship between different parameters and the nutrient demand of a greenhouse soilless cucumber production system in a tropical climate as well as to propose an empirical model for the design of the nutrient supply to the system. Considering the results obtained in this experiment, there was a high correlation between nutrient demands of the system with nutrient supplies and water uptake but not with leaf area index. With respect to the models, nutrient supplies and leaf area index were the most significant variables for nitrate (NO₃^?), chloride (Cl^?) and manganese (Mn). For calcium (Ca²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺) and zinc (Zn), nutrients supply was the most significant variable and for the rest of nutrients [phosphates (H₂PO₄^?), sulfates (SO₄²)^?, potassium (K⁺), sodium (Na⁺) and iron (Fe)], the three variables assessed were significant.     

Silicon-Induced Growth and Yield Enhancement in Two Wheat Genotypes Differing in Salinity Tolerance

Silicon (Si) is known to alleviate a number of abiotic stresses in higher plants including salinity stress. Two independent experiments were conducted to evaluate the role of Si in alleviating salinity stress in two contrasting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes, Auqab-2000' (salt sensitive) and SARC-3 (salt tolerant). In the first experiment, genotypes were grown in hydroponics with two levels of salinity (0 and 60 mM NaCl) with and without 2 mM Si in a completely randomized design with four replications. Salinity stress significantly (P < 0.01) decreased all of the growth parameters, increased sodium (Na⁺) concentration, and decreased potassium (K⁺) concentration in shoots of both genotypes grown in hydroponics. Silicon significantly improved growth of both genotypes. The increase in growth was more prominent under salt stress (75%) than under normal condition (15%). In the second experiment, both genotypes were grown in normal [electrical conductivity (EC) = 1.23 d Sm^–1] and natural saline field (EC = 11.92 d Sm^–1) conditions with three levels of Si (0, 75, and 150 g g^–1 Si) with three replications in a randomized complete block design. Silicon significantly (P < 0.05) decreased growth reduction in both genotypes caused by salinity stress. The grain yield under salt stress decreased from 62% to 33% and from 44% to 20% of the maximum potential in Auqab-2000 and SARC-3, respectively, when 150 g g^–1 Si was used. Auqab-2000 performed better in normal field conditions, but SARC-3 produced more straw and grain yield in saline field conditions. Addition of Si significantly (P < 0.05) improved K uptake and reduced Na⁺ uptake in both of wheat genotypes and increased the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio in shoot. Enhanced salinity tolerance and improved growth in wheat by Si application was attributed to decreased Na⁺ uptake, its restricted translocation toward shoots, and enhanced K⁺ uptake.     

Protective role of proline against salt stress is partially related to the improvement of water status and peroxidase enzyme activity in cucumber

Abstract

A salt-sensitive cucumber cultivar “Jinchun No. 2” (Cucumis sativus L.) was used to investigate the role of proline in alleviating salt stress in cucumber. Proline was applied twice (day 0 and day 4 after salt treatment) as a foliar spray, with a volume of 25?mL per plant at each time. Plant dry weight, leaf relative water content, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl^? contents, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities in the plants were determined at day 8 after salt treatment. The results showed that 100?mmol?L^–1 NaCl stress significantly decreased plant dry weight, leaf relative water and K⁺ contents, and increased leaf MDA, Na⁺ and Cl^? contents and SOD, POD, CAT and APX activities. However, leaf proline accumulation was not affected by salinity. The exogenous application of proline significantly alleviated the growth inhibition of plants induced by NaCl, and was accompanied by higher leaf relative water content and POD activity, higher proline and Cl^? contents, and lower MDA content and SOD activity. However, there was no significant difference in Na⁺ and K⁺ contents or in CAT and APX activities between proline-treated and untreated plants under salt stress. Taken together, these results suggested that the foliar application of proline was an effective way to improve the salt tolerance of cucumber. The enhanced salt tolerance could be partially attributed to the improved water status and peroxidase enzyme activity in the leaf.     

Sensitivities of Stress Indicators for Available Soil Water and Its Salinity and for Sorghum Leaf Water Potential under Drip Irrigation

Abstract

The impact of two input amounts, two frequencies, and three salinity levels on the temporal sensitivity of the stress indicators, available soil water (K _W ), its salinity (K _S ), and leaf water potential of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.)] grown in dune sand in a plastic greenhouse were investigated. The K _W for the irrigation input amount equivalent to one‐half of an open pan on a daily basis (EP0.50‐1) ranged from 0.32 to 0.51 compared with 0.51 to 0.98 for the 100% of open‐pan irrigation input on daily basis. The corresponding K _S ranges were 0.50 to 0.98 (EP1.00‐1) and 80 to 0.98 for K _s . The K _W for the three increasing salinity levels (S‐1, S‐2, and S‐3) ranged from 0.68 to 0.96 for S‐1, 0.58 to 0.90 for S‐2, and 0.43 to 0.89 for S‐3, respectively, and from 0.85 to 1.00 for the control. The corresponding K _S ranges were 0.89 to 0.98, 0.70 to 0.96, 0.49 to 0.70, and 1.00 to 1.00, respectively. The LWP ranges for the three salinity levels were ?1.70 to ?0.70 for S‐1, ?2.50 to ?1.20 for S‐2, ?2.90 to ?1.60 for S‐3, and ?0.70 to ?0.20 MPa for the control. The time series statistical parameters mean, median, coefficient of variation (CV), and the 20th percentile values (PC20), assessed to discriminate the temporal sensitivity of the stress indicators indicated that CV and PC20 are equally better than median, which in turn is better than mean. Sorghum grain yield depended on irrigation input amount and schedules, leaf water potential (LWP), and the interaction involving K _W and K _S (R² _adj 0.71 to 0.85). The temporal sensitivity of the stress indicators K _W , K _S , and LWP indicated that EP1.00‐1 provided the least‐risk irrigation option with regard to water and salinity stress in relation to sorghum grain yield.