Abstract
Global warming will increase root heat stress, which is already common under certain conditions. Effects of heat stress on root nutrient uptake have rarely been examined in intact plants, but the limited results indicate that heat stress will decrease it; no studies have examined heat-stress effects on the concentration of nutrient-uptake proteins. We grew Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) at 25 °C/20 °C (day/night) and then transferred some plants for six days to 35 °C /30 °C (moderate heat) or 42 °C/37 °C (severe heat) (maximum root temperature = 32 °C or 39 °C, respectively); plants were then moved back to control conditions for seven days to monitor recovery. In a second experiment, plants were grown for 15 days at 28 °C/23 °C, 32 °C/27 °C, 36 °C/31 °C, and 40 °C/35 °C (day/night). Concentrations of nutrient-uptake and -assimilation proteins in roots were determined using protein-specific antibodies and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). In general, (1) roots were affected by heat more than shoots, as indicated by decreased root:shoot mass ratio, shoot vs. root %N and C, and the level of nutrient metabolism proteins vs. less sensitive photosynthesis and stomatal conductance; and (2) negative effects on roots were large and slow-to-recover only with severe heat stress (40 °C–42 °C). Thus, short-term heat stress, if severe, can decrease total protein concentration and levels of nutrient-uptake and -assimilation proteins in roots. Hence, increases in heat stress with global warming may decrease crop production, as well as nutritional quality, partly via effects on root nutrient relations.
Highlights
High-temperature stress, both from chronic or abrupt heating, is often a limiting factor for plant growth, development, and reproduction [1,2,3]
Based on the limited past studies, we know that heat stress can negatively affect plant nutrient relations [11], but the effect of heat stress, chronic or abrupt, on root negatively affect plant nutrient relations [11], but the effect of heat stress, chronic or abrupt, on root nutrient uptake rate has been little studied, excluding a few studies mostly using root pieces in vitro nutrient uptake rate has been little studied, excluding a few studies mostly using root pieces in vitro or or heating only soil in intact plants, and we are aware of no previous research on effects of heat stress heating only soil in intact plants, and we are aware of no previous research on effects of heat stress on on nutrient-uptake proteins [7,19]
The relative effects of moderate vs. severe heat stress on plant nutrient content and concentration were correlated to different degrees with relative effects on root-to-shoot mass, nutrient-uptake rate per g of root, and levels of nutrient-uptake and N-assimilatory proteins
Summary
High-temperature stress, both from chronic or abrupt heating, is often a limiting factor for plant growth, development, and reproduction [1,2,3]. Heat stress decreases plant function in many ways, with negative effects on growth, photosynthesis, respiration, reproduction, water relations, and hormone production being especially well-studied [3,7,8,9,10]. Both shoots and roots are sensitive to heat-related damage, and roots are often as sensitive, or more, as shoots to a heat stress [7,11]. The tolerance of roots to heat stress scales with the mean temperatures of the habitats to which the species are adapted, such that optimal
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