Changes in Reserve Mobilization Caused by Salinity Could Interfere in the Initial Growth of Jatropha curcas

Emannuella Lira,Carlos Meneses,Yuri Melo,Josemir Maia,Joilma Souza,Cristiane Macêdo,Ivanice Santos,Anselmo Silva,Nair Arriel,Lucas Galdino

doi:10.3390/su13137446

Emannuella Lira, Carlos Meneses + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137446

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Abstract

Salinity in soil can affect Jatropha seedling metabolism, interfering with plant establishment. In this study, the effect of salinity on the mobilization of reserves during the development of Jatropha seedlings was tested. Two genotypes of Jatropha were used and three concentrations of NaCl were applied between the 4th and 8th days after germination. The effects of salinity on seedling growth, in terms of fresh and dry phytomass, ionic partition, and sugar quantification, starch, proteins, amino acids, and lipids were evaluated in cotyledon leaves, hypocotyls, and roots. There was an increase in the content of all classes of macromolecules analyzed in at least one of the organs. It is hypothesized that the hypocotyls acted as an accumulating organ of Na+. The accumulations of amino acids and protein in roots suggest that metabolic responses occurred in response to the ionic and osmotic effects of NaCl, although this accumulation did not appear to prevent biomass losses in seedlings. Furthermore, the findings of this study demonstrate that salinity inhibits the mobilization of lipids and carbon stocks from cotyledon leaves to the rest of the plant, and together with the synthesis of proteins and amino acids that occurred primarily in roots, contributed to response of these plants to salinity.

Highlights

This paper proposes that the responses observed between the two J. curcas genotypes are genotype dependent
The genotype most adapted to salinity was CNPAPMX, as it was less affected by saline stress during the germination and establishment
Salinity caused the inhibition of lipid mobilization and carbon reserves, factors that, together with the synthesis of proteins and amino acids, contribute to the response of these plants to salinity

Summary

Introduction

One potential alternative for the reuse of such areas is the selection and introduction of species tolerant to adverse environmental conditions [5]. In this context, perennial oleaginous plants, such as Jatropha curcas L., are compatible with the edaphoclimatic conditions of the Brazilian semiarid region due to their moderate resistance to drought and salinity [6]. Perennial oleaginous plants, such as Jatropha curcas L., are compatible with the edaphoclimatic conditions of the Brazilian semiarid region due to their moderate resistance to drought and salinity [6] This species has great economic importance, due to its medicinal and ornamental use and for biodiesel production [7]

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