Changes in morphology, chlorophyll fluorescence performance and Rubisco activity of soybean in response to foliar application of ionic titanium under normal light and shade environment

Abstract

Titanium (Ti) is considered an essential element for plant growth; however, its role in crop performance through stimulating the activities of certain enzymes, enhancing chlorophyll content and photosynthesis, and improving crop morphology and growth requires more study. We therefore conducted a laboratory experiments to study the effects of ionic Ti application on morphology, growth, biomass distribution, chlorophyll fluorescence performance and Rubisco activity of soybean (Glycine max L.) under normal light (NL) and shade conditions (SC). In this study, we sprayed soybean plants with five different levels of ionic Ti (T1 = 0, T2 = 1.25, T3 = 2.5, T4 = 5 and T5 = 10 mg Ti Plant−1) through foliar application method. Our results show that with increasing moderate (2.5 mg Ti Plant−1) Ti concentration, the chlorophyll pigments (chlorophyll [Chl] a, b, carotenoid [Car]), plant biomass, photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and electron transport rate (ETR) of soybean increased, but higher levels (5–10 mg Ti Plant−1), resulted in leaf anatomical and chloroplast structural disruptions under both NL and SC. Soybean plants showed maximum biomass, leaf area, leaf thickness, Chl a, b, Car, Rubisco activity, Fv/Fm and ETR for T3 at 2.5 mg Ti Plant−1; however, declined significantly for T5 at high concentration of 10 mg Plant−1. In NL, the application of 2.5 mg Ti Plant−1 (T3) increased the Chl a, b, and total Chl contents 40, 20, and 27% as compared to control treatment (T1). In SC, the application of 1.25 mg Ti mg Plant−1 (T2) increased the Chl a, b, and total Chl contents 38, 19, and 14% as compared to control treatment. In NL, the Fv/Fm, qP, PSII, and ETR were higher in the T3 treatment over the T1 (control) by 7, 0.3, 16, and 16%, respectively. In SC, the Fv/Fm, qP, PSII, and ETR were higher in the T3 treatment over the T1 (control) by 5, 5, 19, and 19%, respectively. Moreover, Rubisco activity was at peak (55 and 6% increase under NL and SC) at 2.5 mg Ti Plant−1and decreased with increasing Ti concentration, reaching the lowest at 10 mg Ti Plant−1, which indicates that leaf cells were damaged as observed in the leaf anatomy. We concluded that ionic Ti expresses a hormesis effect: at lower concentrations, promoting soybean growth, however, at higher concentrations, suppressing soybean growth both under NL and SC. We therefore suggest that under different light stress conditions, Ti application could serve to mitigate abiotic stresses, especially in intercropping systems.