An ABA Functional Analogue B2 Enhanced Salt Tolerance by Inducing the Root Elongation and Reducing Peroxidation Damage in Maize Seedlings

Salt stress negatively affects maize growth and yield. Application of plant growth regulator is an effective way to improve crop salt tolerance, therefore reducing yield loss by salt stress. Here, we used a novel plant growth regulator B2, which is a functional analogue of ABA. With the aim to determine whether B2 alleviates salt stress on maize, we studied its function under hydroponic conditions. When the second leaf was fully developed, it was pretreated with 100 µM ABA, 0.01 µM B2, 0.1 µM B2, and 1 µM B2, independently. After 5 days treatment, NaCl was added into the nutrient solution for salt stress. Our results showed that B2 could enhance salt tolerance in maize, especially when the concentration was 1.0 µMol·L−1. Exogenous application of B2 significantly enhanced root growth, and the root/shoot ratio increased by 7.6% after 6 days treatment under salt stress. Compared with control, the ABA level also decreased by 31% after 6 days, which might have resulted in the root development. What is more, B2 maintained higher photosynthetic capacity in maize leaves under salt stress conditions and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes and decreased the generation rate of reactive oxygen species by 16.48%. On the other hand, B2 can enhance its water absorption ability by increasing the expression of aquaporin genes ZmPIP1-1 and ZmPIP1-5. In conclusion, the novel plant growth regulator B2 can effectively improve the salt tolerance in maize.

Effects of Biofilm Burkholderia Pyrrocinia JK-SH007 On The Colonization And Growth Promotion of Poplar

Burkholderia pyrrocinia JK-SH007 is a high-potential biological control strain. We changed the composition of medium during the fermentation of JK-SH007 cells and induced these cells to form a biofilm. In this experiment, we deeply studied the biofilm physical and chemical properties. The new fermentation process improves the colonization ability of JK-SH007 and promotes poplar growth. In addition, the biofilm bacterial concentration reached 1010 CFU/mL, the cell dry weight increased over that of a control by 3-10-fold, there was increased environmental stress resistance and IAA secretion, and progeny cells retained resistance to adverse environments. The new biofilm cells were applied to poplar. The JK-SH007 colonization ability was improved in the biofilm, and some bacteria existed as biofilms (cell clusters) in poplar, which would promote forming a dominant niche. Biofilm JK-SH007 has an increased affinity for poplar during colonization and promotes poplar growth under hydroponic conditions, proving the reliability of the new morphology for treating poplar ulcer disease. This work further provides a theoretical basis for commercially producing JK-SH007.

Comparison of chrysanthemum flowers grown under hydroponic and soil-based systems: yield and transcriptome analysis

Background Flowers of Chrysanthemum × morifolium Ramat. are used as tea in traditional Chinese cuisine. However, with increasing population and urbanization, water and land availability have become limiting for chrysanthemum tea production. Hydroponic culture enables effective, rapid nutrient exchange, while requiring no soil and less water than soil cultivation. Hydroponic culture can reduce pesticide residues in food and improve the quantity or size of fruits, flowers, and leaves, and the levels of active compounds important for nutrition and health. To date, studies to improve the yield and active compounds of chrysanthemum have focused on soil culture. Moreover, the molecular effects of hydroponic and soil culture on chrysanthemum tea development remain understudied. Results Here, we studied the effects of soil and hydroponic culture on yield and total flavonoid and chlorogenic acid contents in chrysanthemum flowers (C. morifolium ‘wuyuanhuang’). Yield and the total flavonoids and chlorogenic acid contents of chrysanthemum flowers were higher in the hydroponic culture system than in the soil system. Transcriptome profiling using RNA-seq revealed 3858 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between chrysanthemum flowers grown in soil and hydroponic conditions. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment annotation revealed that these differentially transcribed genes are mainly involved in “cytoplasmic part”, “biosynthetic process”, “organic substance biosynthetic process”, “cell wall organization or biogenesis” and other processes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed enrichment in “metabolic pathways”, “biosynthesis of secondary metabolites”, “ribosome”, “carbon metabolism”, “plant hormone signal transduction” and other metabolic processes. In functional annotations, pathways related to yield and formation of the main active compounds included phytohormone signaling, secondary metabolism, and cell wall metabolism. Enrichment analysis of transcription factors also showed that under the hydroponic system, bHLH, MYB, NAC, and ERF protein families were involved in metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and plant hormone signal transduction. Conclusions Hydroponic culture is a simple and effective way to cultivate chrysanthemum for tea production. A transcriptome analysis of chrysanthemum flowers grown in soil and hydroponic conditions. The large number of DEGs identified confirmed the difference of the regulatory machinery under two culture system.

Silicon, Potassium and Nitrogen Accumulation and Biomass in Corn under Hydroponic Conditions

The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of the interaction of silicon, potassium, and nitrogen on the foliar area, the accumulation of these elements in the aerial part and the dry biomass in corn plants. The research was developed under hydroponic conditions in Jaboticabal Sao Pablo, Brasil using the 30A77HX hybrid. Two silicon concentrations were evaluated (0 and 2 mmol L−1); two concentrations of potassium (1 and 12 mmol L−1) and four nitrogen concentrations: (1, 10, 15, and 20 mmol L−1). A completely randomized design was used, with factorial arrangement 2 × 2 × 4 and three replications. The foliar area, the dry biomass and, nitrogen, potassium, and silicon content were determined. The application of silicon at a high concentration of K causes an increase in the accumulation of K, which is reflected in an increment of the total dry biomass in the plants of corn, while excess and a deficit of N diminish the accumulation of Si in the aerial part of the plant, which is more evident at a low concentration of K in the nutritious solution, affecting the accumulation of the total dry biomass.

Transcriptomic Responses of Rhizobium phaseoli to Root Exudates Reflect Its Capacity to Colonize Maize and Common Bean in an Intercropping System

Corn and common bean have been cultivated together in Mesoamerica for thousands of years in an intercropping system called “milpa,” where the roots are intermingled, favoring the exchange of their microbiota, including symbionts such as rhizobia. In this work, we studied the genomic expression of Rhizobium phaseoli Ch24-10 (by RNA-seq) after a 2-h treatment in the presence of root exudates of maize and bean grown in monoculture and milpa system under hydroponic conditions. In bean exudates, rhizobial genes for nodulation and degradation of aromatic compounds were induced; while in maize, a response of genes for degradation of mucilage and ferulic acid was observed, as well as those for the transport of sugars, dicarboxylic acids and iron. Ch24-10 transcriptomes in milpa resembled those of beans because they both showed high expression of nodulation genes; some genes that were expressed in corn exudates were also induced by the intercropping system, especially those for the degradation of ferulic acid and pectin. Beans grown in milpa system formed nitrogen-fixing nodules similar to monocultured beans; therefore, the presence of maize did not interfere with Rhizobium–bean symbiosis. Genes for the metabolism of sugars and amino acids, flavonoid and phytoalexin tolerance, and a T3SS were expressed in both monocultures and milpa system, which reveals the adaptive capacity of rhizobia to colonize both legumes and cereals. Transcriptional fusions of the putA gene, which participates in proline metabolism, and of a gene encoding a polygalacturonase were used to validate their participation in plant–microbe interactions. We determined the enzymatic activity of carbonic anhydrase whose gene was also overexpressed in response to root exudates.

The Addition of Selenium to the Nutrient Solution Decreases Cadmium Toxicity in Pepper Plants Grown under Hydroponic Conditions

Cadmium is absorbed by plants rapidly and without control through the same channels as other essential metals, interfering with their transport and utilization. Many studies have shown that selenium could be utilized as a way to avoid this unwanted transport and other negative effects of Cd. For this reason, the present research study was conducted with four treatments (−Cd/−Se, +Cd/−Se, +Cd/+SeF, and +Cd/+SeR) to determine the type of application of Se that is best (foliarly and/or via the root) as regards the reduction of the toxic effects of Cd on plants. Our results showed that the Cd excess in the nutrient solution resulted in a decrease in the total dry biomass of the plants grown under these conditions, and this decrease was due to the reduction of the growth of the shoot (48% +Cd/−Se, 45% +Cd/+SeF, and 38% +Cd/+SeR, relative to −Cd/−Se). This reduction in growth was due to: (i) the toxicity of Cd itself and (ii) the nutritional disequilibrium suffered by the plants. It seems that under hydroponic conditions, the addition of Se to the nutrient solution, and therefore its absorption through the roots (lower antioxidant activity, superoxide dismutase, H2O2 concentration and higher catalase activity), greatly delayed and reduced the toxic effects of Cd on the pepper plants, as opposed to the foliar application of this element.

Biomass accumulation and physiological responses of tomato plants to magnetically–treated water in hydroponic conditions

Magnetically-treated water (MTW) has been reported to enhance biomass accumulation in plants. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, and the existing reports only deal with soil-grown plants. Thus, the purpose of this experiment was to assess whether or not MTW affects main physiological processes (gas exchange, biomass accumulation and water potential) in tomato plants whose water supply was only MTW. Two experiments were done in hydroponic semi-controlled conditions, consisting of a loop system with permanent recirculation of water through a non-uniform magnet. The plants grown under MTW showed a significant increase in chlorophyll content, photosynthesis and transpiration at high light irradiances, although the increase in stomatal conductance was less significant. MTW also increased fruit fresh biomass, number of fruits and root dry biomass in 61.7 %, 85.3 % and 30.3 % respectively, but this was only achieved at natural sunlight conditions. Moreover, treated plants showed higher root hydraulic conductance and leaf water potential, which is thought to be related with a lower surface tension of MTW, an effect that is consistent with previous studies. The higher biomass accumulation in tomato plants under MTW is likely explained because of a faster water transport from the roots to the leaves via xylem, which in turn increases H2O efflux and CO2 assimilation in the leaves, thanks to a higher stomatal conductance.

Identification of Canola Roots Endophytic Bacteria and Analysis of Their Potential as Biofertilizers for Canola Crops with Special Emphasis on Sporulating Bacteria

Canola (Brassica napus L. var. oleracea) is the third most common oil-producing crop worldwide after palm and soybean. Canola cultivation requires the use of chemical fertilizers, but the amount required can be reduced by applying plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Among PGPB, endophytic bacteria have certain advantages as biofertilizers, but canola endophytic bacteria have rarely been studied. In this work, we identified a collection of bacterial endophytes isolated from canola roots using MALDI-TOF MS, a technique that is still rarely used for the identification of such bacteria, and rrs gene sequencing, a methodology that is commonly used to identify canola endophytes. The results demonstrated that some bacterial isolates from canola roots belonged to the genera Bacillus, Neobacillus, Peribacillus (Pe.), and Terribacillus, but most isolates belonged to the genera Paenibacillus (P.) and Pseudomonas (Ps.). Inoculation of these isolates indicated that several of them could efficiently promote canola seedling growth in hydroponic conditions. These results were then confirmed in a microcosm experiment using agricultural soil, which demonstrated that several isolates of Pseudomonas thivervalensis, Paenibacillus amylolyticus, Paenibacillus polymyxa, Paenibacillus sp. (Paenibacillus glucanolyticus/Paenibacillus lautus group), and Peribacillus simplex (previously Bacillus simplex) could efficiently promote canola shoot growth under greenhouse conditions. Among them, the isolates of Paenibacillus and Peribacillus were the most promising biofertilizers for canola crops as they are sporulated rods, which is an advantageous trait when formulating biofertilizers.