Abstract
Attempts to cultivate sugar beet (Beta vulgaris spp. vulgaris) in the sub-tropical saline soils are ongoing because of its excellent tolerance to salinity. However, the intrinsic adaptive physiology has not been discovered yet in the sub-tropical climatic conditions. In this study, we investigated morpho-physiological attributes, biochemical responses, and yield of sugar beet under a gradient of salinity in the soil–pot culture system to evaluate its adaptive mechanisms. Results exhibited that low and high salinity displayed a differential impact on growth, photosynthesis, and yield. Low to moderate salt stress (75 and 100 mM NaCl) showed no inhibition on growth and photosynthetic attributes. Accordingly, low salinity displayed simulative effect on chlorophyll and antioxidant enzymes activity which contributed to maintaining a balanced H2O2 accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, relative water and proline content showed no alteration in low salinity. These factors contributed to improving the yield (tuber weight). On the contrary, 250 mM salinity showed a mostly inhibitory role on growth, photosynthesis, and yield. Collectively, our findings provide insights into the mild–moderate salt adaptation strategy in the soil culture test attributed to increased water content, elevation of photosynthetic pigment, better photosynthesis, and better management of oxidative stress. Therefore, cultivation of sugar beet in moderately saline-affected soils will ensure efficient utilization of lands.
Highlights
Among various abiotic stressors, the phenomenon of global soil salinization is intensifying daily due to the ongoing climate change-induced sea-level rise, extensive irrigation practices with saline water, and large-scale soil erosion [1,2]
The shoot fresh weight (SFW) was elevated by 50.54%, 47.40%, and 11.42% under 75 mM, 100 mM, and 150 mM salt stress, respectively, whereas it declined by 21.98% at 250 mM NaCl stress relative to that of control plants
NaCl) salinity in soil culture test which was evidenced by the close association of these treatments with growth, yield, water relation, and photosynthetic parameters in the principal component analysis (PCA)
Summary
The phenomenon of global soil salinization is intensifying daily due to the ongoing climate change-induced sea-level rise, extensive irrigation practices with saline water, and large-scale soil erosion [1,2]. About a 70% increase in food production is required within 30 years. US dollar per year [5,6,7], which undermines the goal of meeting global food security [8]. Salinity stress provokes a wide array of responses in plants via affecting its morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes. It causes ionic imbalance, such as excessive Na+ and Cl− ions accumulation which causes inhibition of the metabolic enzymes [9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16]
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