Comparative effects of salt and alkali stresses on organic acid accumulation and ionic balance of seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.)

Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is uniquely capable of growing well under various extreme environmental conditions, such as water deficit, salt stress, low temperature, and high altitude. It is of economic value and its berries are used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. In this study, we compared the effects of salt stresses (9:1 molar ratio of NaCl to Na₂SO₄, pH 6.48–6.65) and alkali stresses (9:1 molar ratio of NaHCO₃ to Na₂CO₃, pH 8.70–8.88) on the levels of inorganic ions and organic acids in H. rhamnoides L. to elucidate the physiological mechanism by which it tolerates salt or alkali stress (high pH). The results showed that, in leaves and stems under alkali stress, the Na⁺ content increased to a much greater extent than under salt stress. Neither salt nor alkali stress decreased the K⁺ content in leaves and stems; however, in roots, the K⁺ content decreased sharply with increasing alkali stress, whereas it remained relatively unchanged with increasing salt stress. This revealed a specific mechanism of absorption or transport for Na⁺ and K⁺ that was affected strongly by alkali stress. The results indicated that accumulation of organic acid (OA) was a central adaptive mechanism by which H. rhamnoides maintained intracellular ionic balance under alkali stress. OA may play different roles in different organs during adaptation to alkali stress, and its percentage contribution to total negative charge was higher in leaf than in stem. H. rhamnoides accumulated mainly malate, oxalate, and citrate in leaves and stems; however, in roots, less malate and citrate was accumulated, and acetate accumulation was enhanced significantly, which indicated that roots and shoots use different mechanisms to modulate OA metabolism.