Construction of Saline-Alkali Tolerance Evaluation System and Isolation of Differentially Expressed Genes in High-Oleic Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Abstract

As an important source of vegetable oil, peanut (Arachis hypogea L.) with both adequate tolerance and high-oleate could be a profitable choice in saline-alkali soil. In our study, two high-oleic peanut lines derived from the same cross and differing in saline-alkali response were initially identified from our previous field evaluation. In this study they were subjected to saline-alkali stress in pot culture, and their transcriptomes were analyzed. 16L1 possessed multiple characteristics related to saline-alkali stress tolerant, including well-developed green leaves, more pods, elevated proline, high levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and strong photosynthetic capacity. According to the correlation of various indicators, we have established high-oleic peanut biological saline-alkali tolerance and physiological saline-alkali evaluation system. Ten differentially expressed genes (DEGs) responding to saline-alkali stress were characterized and confirmed by quantitative realtime reverse transcription PCR. A series of analyses of DEGs revealed the importance of secondary metabolites, osmotic adjustment substances, plant hormone signal transduction, and protein kinase in peanut saline-alkali tolerance. The output of this study will help to understand the saline-alkali tolerant mechanism and provide a reference for peanut saline-alkali tolerance.