Abstract
Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an important source of protein for human and animal nutrition, as well as a major source of vegetable oil. The soybean crop requires adequate water all through its growth period to attain its yield potential, and the lack of soil moisture at critical stages of growth profoundly impacts the productivity. In this study, utilizing 1H NMR-based metabolite analysis combined with the physiological studies we assessed the effects of short-term water stress on overall growth, nitrogen fixation, ureide and proline dynamics, as well as metabolic changes in drought tolerant (NA5009RG) and sensitive (DM50048) genotypes of soybean in order to elucidate metabolite adjustments in relation to the physiological responses in the nitrogen-fixing plants towards water limitation. The results of our analysis demonstrated critical differences in physiological responses between these two genotypes, and identified the metabolic pathways that are affected by short-term water limitation in soybean plants. Metabolic changes in response to drought conditions highlighted pools of metabolites that play a role in the adjustment of metabolism and physiology of the soybean varieties to meet drought effects.
Highlights
Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most important grain legumes
The two soybean cultivars used in the present study were categorized at CIAP-INTA (Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias – Instituto Nacional de Tecnologıa Agropecuaria, Argentina) as tolerant (NA5009RG) and sensitive (DM50048) to drought stress based on their ability to maintain relative water content (RWC) and growth, and withstand oxidative stress through the modulation of cellular malondialdehide (MDA) levels
Drought was imposed on nodulated soybean plants 17 days after inoculation by withholding water during 10 days, and physiological characteristics such as dry weight (DW), relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll and nitrogenase activity (ARA), and metabolite profiles were analyzed in order to establish the effect of water stress on these plant parameters (Figure 1)
Summary
Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most important grain legumes. It represents an essential source of protein, oil and micronutrients in human and animal diets, but is an attractive crop for the production of biodiesel [1]. Soybean growth is affected by unfavorable environmental factors such as extreme temperatures, drought, nutrient deficiency and soil acidity, which form major constraints for soybean crop production. Soybean plants form root nodule symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bradyrhizobia, rendering the plant independent of N fertilizers. Nodulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation have long been recognized as being sensitive to environmental stresses, drought [2]. Water stress reduces nitrogen fixation as a result of a decrease in photosynthate supply [3] or a reduction in the O2 flux into the nodule as well as through overloading nodules with nitrogenous compounds [4,5,6,7]
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