Stress Tolerance In Seedlings Research Articles

Unveiling the influence of stress memory: enhancing stress tolerance in seedlings through seed stage stress exposure

Unveiling the influence of stress memory: enhancing stress tolerance in seedlings through seed stage stress exposure

Screening for PEG-induced drought stress tolerance in seedlings of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars

Screening for PEG-induced drought stress tolerance in seedlings of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars

SEED PRIMING IMPROVES THE GERMINATION AND EARLY GROWTH OF TURNIP SEEDLINGS UNDER SALINITY STRESS2

An experiment was conducted to enhance the turnip seed performance under salinity stress conditions. The impact of priming with an optimized dosage (5 g/l) of KCl and NaCl had been evaluated for enhancing seedling vigor and salt stress tolerance in seedlings of the turnip. Seeds prepared with (5 g/l) of KCl and NaCl solutions were examined at different salinity levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200)mM of NaCl concerning the early growth stage. The data were analyzed using SPSS windows version 23 (one way ANOVA p ≤ 0.05) to determine the significant difference between treatments and followed Duncan test, p 0.05 for means comparison. The results have shown that priming with KCl and NaCl were effective in reducing the adverse effects of salinity. A significant (P 0.05) increase in germination percentage, seed vigor, hypocotyl and radicle length, salt tolerance, and dry weight of the seedlings of seed that priming with (5 g/l) of KCl and NaCl compared to nonprimed seeds was recorded. On the other hand, In this experiment, it was concluded that seed priming with KCl and NaCl had been discovered to be better treatment, especially in the high concentration of salts as compared to non-primed seeds in case of turnip for rising the seeds vigor and seedling growth under salt-stressed conditions.

Effect of UV-B priming on the abiotic stress tolerance of stress-sensitive rice seedlings: Priming imprints and cross-tolerance

Ultraviolet (UV)–B priming can boost the abiotic stress tolerance of plants by activating stress-responsive pathways. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the persistence of priming imprints and cross-tolerance inducing effects of UV-B priming in abiotic stress-sensitive rice (Oryza sativa L. ‘Aiswarya’) when subjected to various abiotic stressors (NaCl, PEG, and UV-B). The UV-B priming of rice seeds and seedlings effectively enhanced photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant machinery activity, and antioxidative enzyme production, especially when seedlings were exposed to NaCl, followed by UV-B and PEG. The ability of UV-B priming to induce cross-tolerance against NaCl stress was substantiated by the greater antioxidant activity of the primed and NaCl-stressed seedlings. The greater performance and stress tolerance of the seedlings from UV-B-primed seeds were attributed to the carryover of priming imprints from seeds into the seedlings. Indeed, UV-B priming activated the antioxidant systems of the seedlings, even under non-stress conditions, and resulted in greater responses upon subsequent stress exposure, which suggested that preparedness for encountering imminent stress was attained by UV-B priming in a stress-sensitive rice.

Genetic and environmental variation of seed weight in Trichloris species (Chloridoideae, Poaceae) and its association with seedling stress tolerance

ABSTRACTBackground: Seed weight is a key fitness-related trait associated with plant adaptation and is commonly targeted in plant breeding.Aims: We evaluated seed weight variation within and between Trichloris crinita and Trichloris pluriflora across their geographical ranges in Argentina.Methods: Genetic variation in seed weight was evaluated through a common garden experiment. To examine the possible role of such variation in local adaptation, we compared the seed weight of plants of populations raised in the common garden with seed weight variation and ecogeographical variables across their original habitats. We also evaluated experimentally the effects of seed weight variation upon osmotic stress tolerance at germination.Results: Variation in seed weight existed in both species. Such variation had a genetic basis in T. crinita related to several ecogeographical variables. Larger seeds of T. crinita were associated with more stressful environments and produced larger seedlings under both osmotic stress and non-stress conditions.Conclusions: Our results suggest that seed weight variation in T. crinita is likely adaptive, with large seed having an advantage during early developmental stages, particularly under stressful conditions. Such knowledge should prove helpful in selecting the most suitable populations for restoration and plant breeding.

Dehydrins from wheat x Thinopyrum ponticum amphiploid increase salinity and drought tolerance under their own inducible promoters without growth retardation

Dehydrins confer abiotic stress tolerance in seedlings, but few dehydrins have been studied by transgenic analysis under their own promoters in relation to abiotic stress tolerance. Also the inducible promoters for transgenic engineering are limited. In this study, we isolated from wheat three salt-induced YSK2 dehydrin genes and their promoters. The cDNA sequences were 711, 785, and 932 bp in length, encoding proteins containing 133, 166 and 231 amino acids, respectively, and were named TaDHN1, TaDHN2, and TaDHN3. TaDHN2 doesn't contain introns, while the other two genes each contain one. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis revealed all three dehydrin genes are substantially induced by ABA and NaCl, but only TaDHN2 is induced in seedlings by PEG and by cold (4 °C). Regulatory sequences upstream of the first translation codon (775, 1615 and 889 bp) of the three dehydrin genes were also cloned. Cis-element prediction indicated the presence of ABRE and other abiotic-stress-related elements. Histochemical analysis using GUS expression demonstrated that all three promoters were induced by ABA, cold or NaCl. Ectopic over-expression of TaDHN1 or TaDHN3 in Arabidopsis under their own inducible promoters enhanced NaCl- and drought-stress tolerance without growth retardation.

Cloning, characterization and functional analysis of the role MhNCED3, a gene encoding 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase in Malus hupehensis Rehd., plays in plant tolerance to osmotic and Cd2+ stresses

Aims Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in the stress tolerance of seedlings and 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) is considered to be the rate-limiting enzyme involved in ABA biosynthesis. However, the genes encoding NCED in M. hupehensis Rehd. have not been reported.

A suite of new genes defining salinity stress tolerance in seedlings of contrasting rice genotypes

Salinity is one of the major constraints adversely influencing crop productivity. Saltol QTL is a major QTL associated with Na⁺-K⁺ ratio and seedling stage salinity tolerance in rice. With an aim to understand the contribution of individual genes localized within saltol towards salinity tolerance, we analysed the transcript abundance of a set of these genes in seedlings of contrasting genotypes of rice. We hypothesize that this approach may be helpful in identifying new 'candidate genes' for improving salinity tolerance in crops. For this purpose, seedlings of Oryza sativa cv. IR64 (sensitive) and the landrace Pokkali (tolerant) were subjected to short/long durations of salinity. qRT-PCR analysis clearly exhibited differential regulation of genes encoding signaling related protein (SRPs), where higher transcript abundance for most of them was observed in Pokkali than IR64 under non-stress conditions, thereby indicating towards well preparedness of the former to handle stress, in anticipation. Genes encoding proteins of unknown function (PUFs), though, constitute a considerable portion of plant genome, have so far been neglected in most studies. Time course analysis of these genes showed a continuous increase in their abundance in Pokkali, while in IR64, their abundance increased till 24 h followed by a clear decrease, thereby justifying their nomenclature as 'salinity induced factors' (SIFs). This is the first report showing possible involvement of SIFs localized within salinity related QTL towards salinity stress response. Based on the phenotypes of insertional mutants, it is proposed that these SIFs may have a putative function in vegetative growth (SIFVG), fertility (SIFF), viability (SIFV) or early flowering (SIFEF).

Drought stress tolerance of Prosopis chilensis and Prosopis flexuosa species and their hybrids

Natural hybridization commonly produces individuals with intermediate morphological and genetic characteristics, but their response to environmental stress is still uncertain, with some studies showing that transgressive performance would be common. Prosopis chilensis and Prosopis flexuosa are the most important tree species from Arid Chaco, South-America. Both species occupy different ecological niches in terms of water availability. Genetic and morphological studies have demonstrated the existence of interspecific hybrids in contact areas between these species. Hybrids are characterized by clear intermediate morphological characteristics, which have taxonomical value, and genetic structure compared to both parental species. We studied mechanisms implicated in drought stress tolerance in seedlings of P. chilensis, P. flexuosa and their interspecific hybrids trying to elucidate if hybrids have a morpho-physiological, growth and survival intermediate response to drought compared to differential parental responses or if they out-perform both parental species when subjected to drought. Our results suggest that hybridization does not result in individuals with intermediate mechanisms related to drought resistance, but with a unique trait combination leading to high growth when water availability is high (similar to the most vulnerable parental species) and high survival under drought stress (similar to the more resistant parental species). Certain uncoupling between symplastic and apoplastic resistence to drought was observed in hybrids, as well as decreased physiological-wood anatomical plasticity compared to parental species. The long-term consequences in terms of adaptive response to drought of this particular trait combination of hybrids remain still unknown.

The role of adaptive trans-generational plasticity in biological invasions of plants.

High-impact biological invasions often involve establishment and spread in disturbed, high-resource patches followed by establishment and spread in biotically or abiotically stressful areas. Evolutionary change may be required for the second phase of invasion (establishment and spread in stressful areas) to occur. When species have low genetic diversity and short selection history, within-generation phenotypic plasticity is often cited as the mechanism through which spread across multiple habitat types can occur. We show that trans-generational plasticity (TGP) can result in pre-adapted progeny that exhibit traits associated with increased fitness both in high-resource patches and in stressful conditions. In the invasive sedge, Cyperus esculentus, maternal plants growing in nutrient-poor patches can place disproportional number of propagules into nutrient-rich patches. Using the invasive annual grass, Aegilops triuncialis, we show that maternal response to soil conditions can confer greater stress tolerance in seedlings in the form of greater photosynthetic efficiency. We also show TGP for a phenological shift in a low resource environment that results in greater stress tolerance in progeny. These lines of evidence suggest that the maternal environment can have profound effects on offspring success and that TGP may play a significant role in some plant invasions.

Effect of synthetic cyclopentane β,β′-triketones on amino acid metabolism in roots of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) seedlings

Germination of buckwheat seeds in solutions of synthetic mono- and tricyclic cyclopentane-containing beta,beta'-triketones of various concentrations was accompanied by inhibition of seedling root growth and changes in the contents of glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, proline, glutamine, and alanine. The monocyclic triketone also affected the amount of isoleucine. It is likely that the increase in proline content is a nonspecific response significant for enhancing stress tolerance in seedlings.

Transplant Growth Control through Water Deficit Stress—A Review

The theme of this review is modulation of extension growth in transplant production through restraint of watering of the seedlings. The purpose of the modulation is to produce transplants of 1) appropriate height for ease of field setting and 2) adequate stress tolerance to withstand outdoor environmental conditions. Physiological responses of the plant are discussed in relation to the degree of water deficit stress and are related to the degree of hardening or stress tolerance development in the transplants. Optimal stress tolerance or techniques for measuring same have not been fully defined in the literature. However, stress tolerance in seedlings is necessary to withstand environmental forces such as wind and sand-blasting after the seedlings are transplanted in the field. It is also imperative that the seedlings undertake a rapid and sustained rate of growth after outdoor transplanting. Water deficit stress applied to plants elicits many different physiological responses. For example, as leaf water potential begins to decrease, leaf enlargement is inhibited before photosynthesis or respiration is affected, with the result of a higher rate of dry matter accumulation per unit leaf area. The cause of the reduced leaf area may be a result of reduced K uptake by the roots with a concomitant reduction in cell expansion. Severe water deficits however, result in overstressed seedlings with stunted growth and poor establishment when transplanted into the field. In transplant production systems, appropriate levels of water deficit stress can be used as a management tool to produce seedlings conducive to the transplanting process.

Water Stress-Responsive 23 kDa Polypeptide from Rice Seedlings is Boiling stable and is Related to the RAB16 Family of Proteins

Summary The response of rapidly growing young seedlings of certain indica rice ( Oryza sativa L. Cvs) cultivars to polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated water stress and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment was investigated. Several water stress-responsive proteins were identified by SDS-PAGE and one such protein, namely the 23 kDa polypeptide, was purified. Using antibodies raised against it, we proved that this protein was also responsive to air drying (desiccation) of seedlings and ABA treatment but not to NaC1 and cold treatment. Further, Western analysis revealed that the 23 kDa protein is immunologically related to the RAB16 family of proteins. Finally, we demonstrated that the 23 kDa polypeptide is boiling stable. In view of its appearance in response to a variety of water stress conditions in both sensitive and tolerant cultivars, its immunological identity with the RAB16 protein and its novel feature of boiling stability, it is proposed that the 23 kDa protein is associated with a generalized water stress response mechanism and might play a role in water stress tolerance in seedlings.