Josefa M. Navarro

Ammonium, bicarbonate and calcium effects on tomato plants grown under saline conditions.

Tomato plants (70 days old) were grown in hydroponic culture into a greenhouse, where supply of inorganic carbon, ammonium and calcium to saline nutrient solution, was investigated in order to reduce the negative effect of salinity. After 70 days, an ameliorating effect upon the decrease in growth observed under salinity was only observed with the treatments NaCl+Ca(2+) and NaCl+HCO(3)(-)+NH(4)(+)+Ca(2+). A large reduction of hydraulic conductance (L(0)) and stomatal conductance (G(s)) was observed with all treatments, compared with the control. However, the reductions were less when NaCl and Ca(2+) were added together. Organic acids (mainly malic acid) in the xylem were decreased with all treatments except with NaCl+NH(4)(+) and with all single treatments added together (NaCl+HCO(3)(-)+NH(4)(+)+Ca(2+)). Amino acid concentrations in the xylem (mainly asparagine and glutamine) decreased when plants were treated with NaCl and NaCl+Ca(2+), but there was a large increase in the plants treated with NaCl+NH(4)(+) or with all treatments together. As HCO(3)(-) is an important source of carbon for NH(4)(+) assimilation, the increase in the concentration of amino acids and organic acids caused by the treatments that contained NH(4)(+), support the idea that fixation of dissolved inorganic carbon was occurring and that the products were transported via the xylem to the shoot. The ameliorating effect of Ca(2+) on root hydraulic conductivity plus the increase of NH(4)(+) incorporation into the amino acid synthesis pathway possibly due to dissolved inorganic carbon fixation, could reduce the negative effect of salinity on tomato plants.

Effects of Ca2+, K+ and cGMP on Na+ uptake in pepper plants

Abstract The effects of Ca 2+ , K + and cGMP on Na + influx in pepper plants ( Capsicum annum L.) were studied. Calcium and K + inhibited Na + net uptake and had no effect on Na + efflux. The inhibition of Na + uptake by Ca 2+ showed a K i of 0.46 mM and micromolar concentrations of the membrane permeable cyclic nucleotide 8-bromo-cGMP inhibited Na + uptake. These results suggest that transporters with low discrimination between K + and Na + , sensitive to Ca 2+ and to cyclic nucleotides, may constitute important pathways for Na + influx. As suggested for other plant species, non-selective voltage-independent cation channels may mediate a large amount of Na + influx into pepper plants.

Yield and fruit quality of pepper plants under sulphate and chloride salinity

Summary Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants were grown hydroponically inside a greenhouse, to investigate the effect of salinity (produced by Cl– or SO42– ions) on yield and fruit quality. The electrical conductivity (EC) levels of 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 dS m–1 were achieved by adding concentrated NaCl or Na2SO4 solutions to the basic nutrient solution, maintained at 2 dS m–1. High conductivity treatments strongly decreased fruit yield and fruit size. High blossom-end rot (BER) incidence with increasing EC resulted in fewer marketable fruits. In general, saline treatments decreased the quality of pepper fruits. Although salinity reduced yield and fruit quality, sulphate treatments were less deleterious than chloride treatments, particularly for moderate EC levels.

Water relations and xylem transport of nutrients in pepper plants grown under two different salts stress regimes

Two iso-osmotic concentrations of NaCl and Na2SO4 were used for discriminating between the effects of specific ion toxicities of salt stress on pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) grown in hydroponic conditions, in a controlled-environment greenhouse. The two salts were applied to plants at different electrical conductivities, and leaf water relations, osmotic adjustment and root hydraulic conductance were measured. Leaf water potential (Ψw), leaf osmotic potential (Ψo) and leaf turgor potential (Ψp) decreased significantly when EC increased, but the decrease was less for NaCl- than for Na2SO4-treated plants. The reduction in stomatal conductance was higher for NaCl-treated plants. There were no differences in the effect of both treatments on the osmotic adjustment, and a reduction in root hydraulic conductance and the flux of solutes into the xylem was observed, except for the saline ions (Na+, Cl− and SO42−). Therefore, pepper growth decreased with increasing salinity because the plants were unable to adjust osmotically or because of the toxic effects of Cl−, SO42− and/or Na+. However, turgor of NaCl-treated plants was maintained at low EC (3 and 4 dS m−1) probably due to the maintenance of water transport into the plant (decrease of stomatal conductance), which, together with the lower concentration of Na+ in the plant tissues compared with the Na2SO4 treatment, could be the cause of the smaller decrease in growth.

Phosphorus uptake and translocation in salt-stressed melon plants

Summary Melon seedlings ( Cucumis melo L. cv.Galia) were grown hydroponically to study the effect of salinity (80 mmol/LNaCl) on phosphate (Pi) uptake and translocation at two levels of Pi (25 μmol/L and 1 mmol/L). Net uptake rates of Pi were determined by depletionof the medium and by plant content. Salinity decreased Pi uptake at low Pi (high affinity uptake mechanism), 25 μmol/L, although no specific competitive inhibition of Pi uptake by Cl − was observed. When plants were grown with high Pi (1 mmol/L), the uptake of Pi through the low affinity system was increased by 80 mmol/L NaCl. Salinity also reduced the phosphorus flux, as Pi, through the xylem. It is hypothesised that high levels of NaCl decrease the mobility of Pi stored in vacuoles, and as a result, inhibit export from this storage compartment to other parts of the plant.

Response of sweet orange cv ‘Lane late’ to deficit-irrigation strategy in two rootstocks. II: Flowering, fruit growth, yield and fruit quality

We evaluated the effects of a deficit-irrigation (DI) strategy in mature ‘Lane late’ sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.) trees grafted on two different drought-tolerant rootstocks, ‘Cleopatra’ mandarin (Citrus reshni Hort. ex Tanaka) and ‘Carrizo’ citrange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck x Poncirus trifoliata L.). Two treatments were applied: a control treatment, irrigated at 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) during the entire season, and a DI treatment, irrigated at 100% ETc, except during phases I (initial fruit-growth period,) and phase III (final fruit-growth period, ripening, harvest), when no irrigation was applied. Flowering, fruit abscission and fruit growth of trees on ‘Carrizo’ were more affected by DI than on ‘Cleopatra’. Deficit irrigation reduced yield in both rootstocks due mainly to a decrease in the number of fruits. The phase most sensitive to drought stress was phase I. Moreover, DI altered fruit quality depending on the period when drought stress was applied. Fruit quality was modified by DI: total soluble sugars and titratable acidity increased when a severe drought stress occurred only in phase III but only increased the peel/pulp ratio if it occurred only in phase I. The quality of fruits from trees on ‘Carrizo’ under DI was affected more than that of fruits from trees on ‘Cleopatra’. Under DI in semi-arid regions ‘Cleopatra’ mandarin can mitigate more the negative effects of drought stress on yield and fruit quality than ‘Carrizo’ citrange.

Yield and fruit quality of melon plants grown under saline conditions in relation to phosphate and calcium nutrition

SummaryMelon plants were grown hydroponically in a greenhouse to investigate the interaction of phosphorus and Ca21 under saline conditions on vegetative biomass production, yield and fruit quality. Two levels of Ca21 (2 and 8 mM) were combined factorially with two levels of phosphate (0.2 and 1 mM) under two regimens of NaCl salinity (10 and 80 mM). The increase of Ca21 concentration in the nutrient solution under saline conditions improved to the same extent vegetative growth and fruit yield. Parameters of fruit quality were affected by salinity, phosphorus and Ca21 nutrition. Salinity increased fruit quality by increasing firmness, total sugars and total soluble solids (TSS). High Ca21 treatment increased sucrose, fructose and glucose, this effect being greater under low salinity conditions than under high. In the two saline treatments, the highest concentration of sucrose in flesh was found at 0.2 mM of phosphate in the nutrient solution.

Effect of salinity × calcium interaction on cation balance in melon plants grown under two regimes of orthophosphate

Abstract Melon (Cucumis melo L.) plants were grown hydroponically in a greenhouse to investigate the interaction of phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) under saline conditions on vegetative biomass and cation balance. Three levels of Ca (0.4, 2, and 8 mM) were combined factorially with two levels of phosphate (0.1 and 1 mM) under two regimes of NaCl salinity (10 and 80 mM). An increase of phosphate and salinity level decreased shoot and root growth. A strong antagonism between Ca and magnesium (Mg) was observed regardless of the salinity level. Calcium effect on growth depended on the salinity level. At low salinity, an increase of Ca reduced sodium (Na) concentration in all plant fractions. At high salinity, this effect was only significant in young and medium leaves. At low salinity and low Ca the reduction of growth could be due to Na toxicity and an unbalanced Ca/Mg ratio. In addition to that, at high salinity, the restoration of growth by increasing Ca concentration in the root medium could be due to an effect on water relation and by increasing potassium K/Na selectivity.

Physiological and growth changes in micropropagated Citrus macrophylla explants due to salinity.

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting arable crops worldwide, and is the most stringent factor limiting plant distribution and productivity. In the present study, the possible use of in vitro culture to evaluate the growth and physiological responses to salt-induced stress in cultivated explants of Citrus macrophylla was analyzed. For this purpose, micropropagated adult explants were grown in proliferation and rooting media supplemented with different concentrations of NaCl. All growth parameters were decreased significantly by these NaCl treatments; this was accompanied by visible symptoms of salt injury in the proliferated shoots from 60mM NaCl and in the rooted shoots from 40mM NaCl. Malondialdehyde (MDA) increased with increasing salinity in proliferated shoots, indicating a rising degree of membrane damage. The concentration of total chlorophyll significantly decreased in the presence of NaCl, and this effect was more pronounced in the rooted explants. The Na(+) and Cl(-) concentrations in the explants increased significantly with the salinity level, but Cl(-) levels were higher in the proliferated explants than in the rooted explants. For osmotic adjustment, high concentrations of compatible solutes (proline and quaternary ammonium compounds-QAC) accumulated in salt-stressed plants in proliferation, but differences were not observed in rooted explants. In proliferation, proline and QAC were highly correlated with the sodium and chloride concentrations in the explants, indicating a possible role of these compounds in osmotic adjustment. The plant concentrations of NO(3)(-), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(+) and Fe were also affected by the NaCl concentration of the medium. We suggest that the important deleterious effects in the in vitro explants of Citrus macrophylla grown at increasing NaCl concentrations were due mainly to toxic effects of saline ions, particularly Cl(-), at the cellular level.

Alleviation of salt stress in citrus seedlings inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi depends on the rootstock salt tolerance

Seedlings of Cleopatra mandarin (Citrus reshni Hort. ex Tan.) and Alemow (Citrus macrophylla Wester) were inoculated with a mixture of AM fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis and Funneliformis mosseae) (+AM), or left non-inoculated (-AM). From forty-five days after fungal inoculation onwards, half of +AM or -AM plants were irrigated with nutrient solution containing 50 mM NaCl. Three months later, AM significantly increased plant growth in both Cleopatra mandarin and Alemow rootstocks. Plant growth was higher in salinized +AM plants than in non-salinized -AM plants, demonstrating that AM compensates the growth limitations imposed by salinity. Whereas AM-inoculated Cleopatra mandarin seedlings had a very good response under saline treatment, inoculation in Alemow did not alleviate the negative effect of salinity. The beneficial effect of mycorrhization is unrelated with protection against the uptake of Na or Cl and the effect of AM on these ions did not explain the different response of rootstocks. This response was related with the nutritional status since our findings confirm that AM fungi can alter host responses to salinity stress, improving more the P, K, Fe and Cu plant nutrition in Cleopatra mandarin than in Alemow plants. AM inoculation under saline treatments also increased root Mg concentration but it was higher in Cleopatra mandarin than in Alemow. This could explain why AM fungus did not completely recovered chlorophyll concentrations in Alemow and consequently it had lower photosynthesis rate than control plants. AM fungi play an essential role in citrus rootstock growth and biomass production although the intensity of this response depends on the rootstock salinity tolerance.