Abstract
Plants are continuously subjected to the unfavorable impact of abiotic stress factors, of which soil salinity is among the most adverse. Although away from direct soil contact throughout most of their lifecycle, stem parasitic plants of the genus Cuscuta, family Convolvulaceae are also affected by salinity. The present study aimed to assess salt stress impact on germination and early establishment of three Cuscuta species, in comparison to related nonparasitic vines of the same family. It was found, that Cuscuta spp. are highly sensitive to NaCl concentration within the range of 200 mM. Germination was delayed in time and reduced by nearly 70%, accompanied by decrease in further seedling growth, ability to infect host plants and growth rate of established parasites. The nonparasitic vines showed similar sensitivity to salinity at germination level, but appeared to adapt better after the stress factor was removed. However, the negative effect of salinity did not fully prevent some of the Cuscuta species from infecting hosts, probably a beneficial characteristic at a species level, allowing the parasite to successfully thrive under the scarce host availability under saline conditions.
Highlights
IntroductionSalinity stress is among the most damaging environmental factors, affecting plant growth and development worldwide, leading to increasing crop yield losses [1]
Salinity stress is among the most damaging environmental factors, affecting plant growth and development worldwide, leading to increasing crop yield losses [1]. some plant species, called halophytes, are naturally adapted to saline conditions and could sustain extreme salt concentrations [2], the predominant flora, respectively most of the crop plants are glycophytes, e.g., salt-sensitive
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of salinity on germination and parasitic development of C. campestris in comparison to two other Cuscuta species, the widely distributed Asian species Cuscuta chinensis Lam. and Cuscuta japonica Choisy., as well as two nonparasitic members of Convolvulaceae family Ipomoea tricolor Cav., Convolvulus arvensis L. and Calystegia sepium (L.) R
Summary
Salinity stress is among the most damaging environmental factors, affecting plant growth and development worldwide, leading to increasing crop yield losses [1]. Some plant species, called halophytes, are naturally adapted to saline conditions and could sustain extreme salt concentrations [2], the predominant flora, respectively most of the crop plants are glycophytes, e.g., salt-sensitive. Salts affect plants’ lifecycles at every possible stage, from breaking dormancy and early germination events through vegetation to flowering and seed yield [4]. Soil salinity leads to decreased osmotic potential, preventing or impeding imbibition and seed germination. Sodium chloride concentration as low as 50 mM could lead to over 75% decrease of germination percentage of some species (Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Sodium chloride concentration as low as 50 mM could lead to over 75% decrease of germination percentage of some species (Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. ecotype
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