Effects, tolerance mechanisms and management of salt stress in lucerne (Medicago sativa)

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Safaa Mohammed Al-Farsi ◽  
Ahmad Nawaz ◽  
Anees-ur-Rehman ◽  
Saleem K. Nadaf ◽  
Abdullah M. Al-Sadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Hormonal Regulation ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Compatible Solutes ◽  
Enzyme Activation ◽  
Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria ◽  
Dry Matter Accumulation ◽  
Tolerance Mechanisms

Lucerne (alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.) is a forage legume that is widely cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The main aim of this review was to highlight the effects of salt stress on the performance of lucerne and to suggest different tolerance mechanisms and management strategies for improving its yield under salt stress. Salt stress significantly affects seed germination, carbon fixation, light harvesting, biological N2 fixation, mineral uptake and assimilation and dry-matter accumulation in lucerne. Accumulation of osmolytes or compatible solutes such as proline, polyamines, trehalose and soluble sugars confers salt tolerance in lucerne. Maintenance of low Na+:K+ ratios, antioxidant enzyme activation, and hormonal regulation also help lucerne to withstand salt stress. The screening of diverse genotypes on the basis of germination indices, gas exchange, biomass production, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes might be useful for breeding salt-tolerant lucerne genotypes. Novel biotechnological tools and functional genomics used to identify salt-conferring genes and quantitative trait loci will help to improve salt tolerance. Use of rhizobial and non-rhizobial plant growth-promoting bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, exogenous application of osmoprotectants, and seed priming with brassinolide, gibberellic acid and salicylic acid may help to improve lucerne performance in saline environments.

Are soluble carbohydrates ecologically relevant for salt tolerance in halophytes?

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Gil ◽  
Monica Boscaiu ◽  
Cristina Lull ◽  
Inmaculada Bautista ◽  
Antonio Lidón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Compatible Solutes ◽  
Soluble Carbohydrates ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Ros Scavenging ◽  
Tolerance Mechanisms ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Salt Stress Condition ◽  
General Response

A general response of plants to high soil salinity relies on the cellular accumulation of osmolytes, which help the plant to maintain osmotic balance under salt stress condition and/or act as ‘osmoprotectants’ with chaperon or reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities. Yet the ecological relevance of this response for the salt tolerance mechanisms of halophytes in their natural habitats remains largely unknown. In this review, we describe and discuss published data supporting the participation of compatible solutes in those mechanisms, with especial focus on soluble carbohydrates. Evidence for a functional role of carbohydrates in salt tolerance include: (i) relatively high levels of specific sugars and polyols have been detected in many halophytic taxa; (ii) an increase in salt tolerance has often been observed in parallel with increased intracellular levels of particular soluble carbohydrates, in transgenic plants overexpressing the corresponding biosynthetic enzymes; (iii) there are several examples of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism which are induced under salt stress conditions; (iv) specific sugars or polyols have been shown to accumulate in different halophytes upon controlled salt treatments; and (v) although very few field studies on environmentally induced carbohydrate changes in halophytes exist, in general they also support the involvement of this type of osmolytes in salt stress tolerance mechanisms. We also highlight the complexities of unequivocally attributing carbohydrates a biological role in salt tolerance mechanisms of a given tolerant species. It is proposed that research on halophytes in their natural ecosystems should be intensified, correlating seasonal changes in carbohydrate contents with the degree of environmental stress affecting the plants. This could be an important complement to experiments made under more controlled (but artificial) conditions, such as laboratory set-ups.

scholarly journals Contribution of Rhizobium–Legume Symbiosis in Salt Stress Tolerance in Medicago truncatula Evaluated through Photosynthesis, Antioxidant Enzymes, and Compatible Solutes Accumulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3369
Author(s):  
Annie Irshad ◽  
Rana Naveed Ur Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Mohsin Abrar ◽  
Qudsia Saeed ◽  
Rahat Sharif ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Survival Rate ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Medicago Truncatula ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Compatible Solutes ◽  
N Fixation ◽  
Salt Stress Tolerance ◽  
Legume Symbiosis

The effects of salt stress on the growth, nodulation, and nitrogen (N) fixation of legumes are well known, but the relationship between symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) driven by rhizobium–legume symbiosis and salt tolerance in Medicago truncatula is not well studied. The effects of the active nodulation process on salt stress tolerance of Medicago truncatula were evaluated by quantifying the compatible solutes, soluble sugars, and antioxidants enzymes, as well as growth and survival rate of plants. Eight weeks old plants, divided in three groups: (i) no nodules (NN), (ii) inactive nodules (IN), and (iii) active nodules (AN), were exposed to 150 mM of NaCl salt stress for 0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 48 h in hydroponic system. AN plants showed a higher survival rate (30.83% and 38.35%), chlorophyll contents (37.18% and 44.51%), and photosynthesis compared to IN and NN plants, respectively. Improved salt tolerance in AN plants was linked with higher activities of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants and higher K+ (20.45% and 39.21%) and lower Na+ accumulations (17.54% and 24.51%) when compared with IN and NN plants, respectively. Additionally, higher generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was indicative of salt stress, causing membrane damage as revealed by higher electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation. All such effects were significantly ameliorated in AN plants, showing higher compatible solutes (proline, free amino acids, glycine betaine, soluble sugars, and proteins) and maintaining higher relative water contents (61.34%). This study advocates positive role of Rhizobium meliloti inoculation against salt stress through upregulation of antioxidant system and a higher concentration of compatible solutes.

scholarly journals Molecular response of canola to salt stress: insights on tolerance mechanisms

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Shokri-Gharelo ◽  
Pouya Motie-Noparvar
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Edible Oils ◽  
Biodiesel Fuel ◽  
Molecular Response ◽  
Salt Tolerant ◽  
Tolerance Mechanisms ◽  
Brassica Napus L ◽  
Salt Response ◽  
The Many

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is widely cultivated around the world for the production of edible oils and biodiesel fuel. Despite many canola varieties being described as ‘salt-tolerant’, plant yield and growth decline drastically with increasing salinity. Although many studies have resulted in better understanding of the many important salt-response mechanisms that control salt signaling in plants, detoxification of ions, and synthesis of protective metabolites, the engineering of salt-tolerant crops has only progressed slowly. Genetic engineering has been considered as an efficient method for improving the salt tolerance of canola but there are many unknown or little-known aspects regarding canola response to salinity stress at the cellular and molecular level. In order to develop highly salt-tolerant canola, it is essential to improve knowledge of the salt-tolerance mechanisms, especially the key components of the plant salt-response network. In this review, we focus on studies of the molecular response of canola to salinity to unravel the different pieces of the salt response puzzle. The paper includes a comprehensive review of the latest studies, particularly of proteomic and transcriptomic analysis, including the most recently identified canola tolerance components under salt stress, and suggests where researchers should focus future studies.

scholarly journals Variations in leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and membrane potential of Medicago sativa root cortex cells exposed to increased salinity: The role of the antioxidant potential in salt tolerance

2018 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Farissi ◽  
Mohammed Mouradi ◽  
Omar Farssi ◽  
Abdelaziz Bouizgaren ◽  
Cherki Ghoulam
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Enzymes ◽  
Salt Stress ◽  
Chlorophyll Fluorescence ◽  
Membrane Potential ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Gas Exchange ◽  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Leaf Gas Exchange ◽  
Root Cortex ◽  
Root Cortex Cells

Salinity is one of the most serious agricultural problems that adversely affects growth and productivity of pasture crops such as alfalfa. In this study, the effects of salinity on some ecophysiological and biochemical criteria associated with salt tolerance were assessed in two Moroccan alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) populations, Taf 1 and Tata. The experiment was conducted in a hydro-aeroponic system containing nutrient solutions, with the addition of NaCl at concentrations of 100 and 200 mM. The salt stress was applied for a month. Several traits in relation to salt tolerance, such as plant dry biomass, relative water content, leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, nutrient uptake, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes, were analyzed at the end of the experiment. The membrane potential was measured in root cortex cells of plants grown with or without NaCl treatment during a week. The results indicated that under salt stress, plant growth and all of the studied physiological and biochemical traits were significantly decreased, except for malondialdehyde and H2O2 contents, which were found to be increased under salt stress. Depolarization of membrane root cortex cells with the increase in external NaCl concentration was noted, irrespective of the growth conditions. The Tata population was more tolerant to high salinity (200 mM NaCl) and its tolerance was associated with the ability of plants to maintain adequate levels of the studied parameters and their ability to overcome oxidative stress by the induction of antioxidant enzymes, such as guaiacol peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase.

Effect of Calcium on Salt Tolerance of Leaf Epidermal Cells of Ruppia maritima at High Salinity

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1174-1175
Author(s):  
A.D. Barnabas ◽  
R. Jagels ◽  
W.J. Przybylowicz ◽  
J. Mesjasz-Przybylowicz
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Sodium Chloride ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
High Salinity ◽  
Epidermal Cells ◽  
Transfer Cell ◽  
Ruppia Maritima ◽  
Terrestrial Plants ◽  
Tolerance Mechanisms ◽  
Salt Glands

Ruppia maritima L. is a submerged halophyte which occurs frequently in estuaries where sodium chloride is the dominant salt. Unlike terrestrial halophytes, R. maritima does not possess any specialised salt-secreting structures such as salt glands. Knowledge of salt tolerance mechanisms in this plant is important to our understanding of its biology. In a previous study it was shown that leaf epidermal cells of R. maritima, which possess transfer cell characteristics, are implicated in salt regulation. In the present investigation, the effect of calcium (Ca) on salt tolerance of leaf epidermal cells was studied since Ca has been found to be an important factor in resistance to salt stress in terrestrial plants.Plants were grown in artificial seawater of high salinity (33%) and at two different Ca concentrations : 400 ppm (high Ca) and 100 ppm (low Ca).

scholarly journals Silicon ameliorates the adverse effects of salt stress on sainfoin (Onobrychis viciaefolia) seedlings

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (No. 12) ◽  
pp. 545-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wu Guo-Qiang ◽  
Liu Hai-Long ◽  
Feng Rui-Jun ◽  
Wang Chun-Mei ◽  
Du Yong-Yong
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Membrane Permeability ◽  
Chlorophyll Content ◽  
Salinity Stress ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Organic Solutes ◽  
Relative Membrane Permeability

The objective of this study was to investigate whether the application of silicon (Si) ameliorates the detrimental effects of salinity stress on sainfoin (Onobrychis viciaefolia). Three-week-old seedlings were exposed to 0 and 100 mmol/L NaCl with or without 1 mmol/L Si for 7 days. The results showed that salinity stress significantly reduced plant growth, shoot chlorophyll content and root K<sup>+</sup> concentration, but increased shoot malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, relative membrane permeability (RMP) and Na<sup>+</sup> concentrations of shoot and root in sainfoin compared to the control (no added Si and NaCl). However, the addition of Si significantly enhanced growth, chlorophyll content of shoot, K<sup>+</sup> and soluble sugars accumulation in root, while it reduced shoot MDA concentration, RMP and Na<sup>+</sup> accumulation of shoot and root in plants under salt stress. It is clear that silicon ameliorates the adverse effects of salt stress on sainfoin by limiting Na<sup>+</sup> uptake and enhancing selectivity for K<sup>+</sup>, and by adjusting the levels of organic solutes. The present study provides physiological insights into understanding the roles of silicon in salt tolerance in sainfoin.

scholarly journals Transcriptome Profiling of the Salt Stress Response in the Leaves and Roots of Halophytic Eutrema salsugineum

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuanshun Li ◽  
Yuting Qi ◽  
Chuanzhi Zhao ◽  
Xingjun Wang ◽  
Quan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Lignin Biosynthesis ◽  
Sugar Metabolism ◽  
Transcriptome Profiling ◽  
Salt Stress Response ◽  
Salt Shock ◽  
Eutrema Salsugineum ◽  
Leaves And Roots

Eutrema salsugineum can grow in natural harsh environments; however, the underlying mechanisms for salt tolerance of Eutrema need to be further understood. Herein, the transcriptome profiling of Eutrema leaves and roots exposed to 300 mM NaCl is investigated, and the result emphasized the role of genes involved in lignin biosynthesis, autophagy, peroxisome, and sugar metabolism upon salt stress. Furthermore, the expression of the lignin biosynthesis and autophagy-related genes, as well as 16 random selected genes, was validated by qRT-PCR. Notably, the transcript abundance of a large number of lignin biosynthesis genes such as CCoAOMT, C4H, CCR, CAD, POD, and C3′H in leaves was markedly elevated by salt shock. And the examined lignin content in leaves and roots demonstrated salt stress led to lignin accumulation, which indicated the enhanced lignin level could be an important mechanism for Eutrema responding to salt stress. Additionally, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) assigned in the autophagy pathway including Vac8, Atg8, and Atg4, as well as DEGs enriched in the peroxisome pathway such as EsPEX7, EsCAT, and EsSOD2, were markedly induced in leaves and/or roots. In sugar metabolism pathways, the transcript levels of most DEGs associated with the synthesis of sucrose, trehalose, raffinose, and xylose were significantly enhanced. Furthermore, the expression of various stress-related transcription factor genes including WRKY, AP2/ERF-ERF, NAC, bZIP, MYB, C2H2, and HSF was strikingly improved. Collectively, the increased expression of biosynthesis genes of lignin and soluble sugars, as well as the genes in the autophagy and peroxisome pathways, suggested that Eutrema encountering salt shock possibly possess a higher capacity to adjust osmotically and facilitate water transport and scavenge reactive oxidative species and oxidative proteins to cope with the salt environment. Thus, this study provides a new insight for exploring the salt tolerance mechanism of halophytic Eutrema and discovering new gene targets for the genetic improvement of crops.

scholarly journals Exogenous melatonin improves salt stress adaptation of cotton seedlings by regulating active oxygen metabolism

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e10486
Author(s):  
Dan Jiang ◽  
Bin Lu ◽  
Liantao Liu ◽  
Wenjing Duan ◽  
Li Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salt Stress ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Seedling Growth ◽  
Lipid Membrane ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Oxygen Metabolism ◽  
Membrane Lipid ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Stress ◽  
Exogenous Melatonin ◽  
Cotton Seedling

Melatonin is a small-molecule indole hormone that plays an important role in participating in biotic and abiotic stress resistance. Melatonin has been confirmed to promote the normal development of plants under adversity stress by mediating physiological regulation mechanisms. However, the mechanisms by which exogenous melatonin mediates salt tolerance via regulation of antioxidant activity and osmosis in cotton seedlings remain largely unknown. In this study, the regulatory effects of melatonin on reactive oxygen species (ROS), the antioxidant system, and osmotic modulators of cotton seedlings were determined under 0–500 µM melatonin treatments with salt stress induced by 150 mM NaCl treatment. Cotton seedlings under salt stress exhibited an inhibition of growth, excessive hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (O2−), and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulations in leaves, increased activity levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and elevated ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) content in leaves. However, the content of osmotic regulators (i.e., soluble sugars and proteins) in leaves was reduced under salt stress. This indicates high levels of ROS were produced, and the cell membrane was damaged. Additionally, osmotic regulatory substance content was reduced, resulting in osmotic stress, which seriously affected cotton seedling growth under salt stress. However, exogenous melatonin at different concentrations reduced the contents of H2O2, O2−, and MDA in cotton leaves, increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the content of reductive substances (i.e., AsA and GSH), and promoted the accumulation of osmotic regulatory substances in leaves under salt stress. These results suggest that melatonin can inhibit ROS production in cotton seedlings, improve the activity of the antioxidant enzyme system, raise the content of osmotic regulation substances, reduce the level of membrane lipid peroxidation, and protect the integrity of the lipid membrane under salt stress, which reduces damage caused by salt stress to seedlings and effectively enhances inhibition of salt stress on cotton seedling growth. These results indicate that 200 µM melatonin treatment has the best effect on the growth and salt tolerance of cotton seedlings.

scholarly journals Melatonin Application Improves Salt Tolerance of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) by Enhancing Antioxidant Capacity

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huifang Cen ◽  
Tingting Wang ◽  
Huayue Liu ◽  
Danyang Tian ◽  
Yunwei Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Enzymes ◽  
Salt Stress ◽  
Salt Tolerance ◽  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Salt Resistance ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Waterlogging Tolerance ◽  
Alfalfa Seed ◽  
Mda Content ◽  
Medicago Sativa L

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important and widely cultivated forage grass. The productivity and forage quality of alfalfa are severely affected by salt stress. Melatonin is a bioactive molecule with versatile physiological functions and plays important roles in response to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Melatonin has been proven efficient in improving alfalfa drought and waterlogging tolerance in recent studies. In our reports, we applied melatonin exogenously to explore the effects of melatonin on alfalfa growth and salt resistance. The results demonstrated that melatonin application promoted alfalfa seed germination and seedling growth, and reduced oxidative damage under salt stress. Further application research found that melatonin alleviated salt injury in alfalfa plants under salt stress. The electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and H2O2 content were significantly reduced, and the activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) were increased with melatonin pretreatment compared to control plants under salt stress with the upregulation of genes related to melatonin and antioxidant enzymes biosynthesis. Melatonin was also involved in reducing Na+ accumulation in alfalfa plants. Our study indicates that melatonin plays a primary role as an antioxidant in scavenging H2O2 and enhancing activities of antioxidant enzymes to improve the salt tolerance of alfalfa plants.

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