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Benaceur I, Meziani R, El Fadile J, Hoinkis J, Canas Kurz E, Hellriegel U, Jaiti F. Salt Stress Induces Contrasting Physiological and Biochemical Effects on Four Elite Date Palm Cultivars ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) from Southeast Morocco. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:186. [PMID: 38256740 PMCID: PMC10820799 DOI: 10.3390/plants13020186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the response of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars to salt stress is essential for the sustainable management of phoeniculture in Tafilalet, Morocco. It offers a promising avenue for addressing the challenges presented by the increasing salinity of irrigation waters, especially because farmers in these regions often lack the necessary knowledge and resources to make informed decisions regarding cultivar selection. This study addresses this issue by investigating the performance of the most relied on cultivars by farmers in Tafilalet, namely Mejhoul, Boufeggous, Nejda, and Bouskri. These cultivars were exposed to a sodium chloride treatment of 154 mM, and their performances were evaluated over a three-month period. We examined the growth rate, photosynthesis-related parameters, pigments, water status in plants, and biochemical compounds associated with oxidative stress, osmotic stress, and ionic stress. Principle component analysis (PCA) effectively categorized the cultivars into two distinct groups: salt-sensitive (Mejhoul and Nejda) and salt-tolerant (Boufeggous and Bouskri). These findings provide valuable insights for farmers, highlighting the advantages of cultivating Boufeggous and Bouskri cultivars due to their superior adaptation to salt conditions. These cultivars exhibited moderate decrease in shoot growth (25%), enhanced catalase activity, a smaller increase in anthocyanin content, and greater enhancement in organic osmolytes compared with salt-sensitive cultivars like Mejhoul (experiencing an 87% reduction in shoot elongation) and Nejda (exhibiting the highest reduction in leaf area). Furthermore, the Na+/K+ ratio was positively influenced by salt stress, with Mejhoul and Nejda recording the highest values, suggesting its potential as an indicator of salt stress sensitivity in date palms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibtissame Benaceur
- Biodiversity, Environment and Plant Protection Team, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, My Ismail University, Errachidia 52000, Morocco
| | - Reda Meziani
- National Institute for Agronomic Research, CRRA, Meknes 50000, Morocco
| | - Jamal El Fadile
- National Institute for Agronomic Research, CRRA, Errachidia 10090, Morocco
| | - Jan Hoinkis
- Center of Applied Research, Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, Moltkestr. 30, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Edgardo Canas Kurz
- Center of Applied Research, Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, Moltkestr. 30, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Ulrich Hellriegel
- Center of Applied Research, Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, Moltkestr. 30, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Fatima Jaiti
- Biodiversity, Environment and Plant Protection Team, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, My Ismail University, Errachidia 52000, Morocco
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Sabeem M, Abdul Aziz M, Mullath SK, Brini F, Rouached H, Masmoudi K. Enhancing growth and salinity stress tolerance of date palm using Piriformospora indica. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1037273. [PMID: 36507455 PMCID: PMC9733834 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1037273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Endophytic fungi are known to enhance plant growth and performance under salt stress. The current study investigated the growth, as well as biochemical and molecular properties of Phoenix dactylifera colonized with the mutualistic fungus Piriformospora indica, under control and salinity stress. Our findings indicated an increase in the plant biomass, lateral root density, and chlorophyll content of P. indica-colonized plants under both normal and salt stress conditions. Furthermore, there was a decline in the inoculated plants leaf and root Na+/K+ ratio. The colonization enhanced the levels of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase in plants. Increased ionic content of Zn and P were also found in salt-stressed date palm. The fungus colonization was also associated with altered expression levels of essential Na+ and K+ ion channels in roots like HKT1;5 and SOS1 genes. This alteration improved plant growth due to their preservation of Na+ and K+ ions balanced homeostasis under salinity stress. Moreover, it was confirmed that RSA1 and LEA2 genes were highly expressed in salt-stressed and colonized plant roots and leaves, respectively. The current study exploited P. indica as an effective natural salt stress modulator to ameliorate salinity tolerance in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miloofer Sabeem
- Department of Integrative Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al−Ain, Abu−Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mughair Abdul Aziz
- Department of Integrative Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al−Ain, Abu−Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sangeeta K. Mullath
- Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, India
| | - Faical Brini
- Plant Protection Laboratory, Center of Biotechnology, Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Hatem Rouached
- Michigan State University, Plant and Soil Science Building, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Khaled Masmoudi
- Department of Integrative Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al−Ain, Abu−Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Analyzing the Spatial Correspondence between Different Date Fruit Cultivars and Farms’ Cultivated Areas, Case Study: Al-Ahsa Oasis, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12115728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Diversity in date palm (DP) cultivars plays a crucial role in the agroecosystems of several countries, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This study aims to map and analyze the spatial distribution of the most grown DP cultivars (Khlas, Ruziz, and Shishi) in the Al-Ahsa oasis in the KSA and to highlight their spatial correlation with the corresponding cultivated patches within farms. Descriptive and spatial data on 288 farms were analyzed using GIS, data curation, cross-TAB statistics, clustering maps, and spatial autocorrelation techniques. The obtained results revealed that most of the oasis’s DP farms are within a cultivated area of <500 m2. The larger cultivated areas are mostly in the oasis’s northern and central subregions, agreeing with the spatial distribution of trees. In total, 56.9% of the studied farms grew the cultivars together within the least rank (<500 m2) of cultivated area, having the greatest tendency for DP cultivation. Khlas was the most dominant cultivar being the least absent from cultivation with 3.1% compared to Ruziz (31.9%) and Shishi (37.8%). The spatial distribution of DP plantations in the oasis was also consistent with the spatial variation in soils and irrigation water salinity, necessitating the need for special agricultural extension programs. In conclusion, these outcomes indicate that this study is essential for DP sustainability, growers, authorities, and policy makers.
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Dghaim R, Hammami Z, Al Ghali R, Smail L, Haroun D. The Mineral Composition of Date Palm Fruits ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) under Low to High Salinity Irrigation. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26237361. [PMID: 34885942 PMCID: PMC8659257 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26237361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptability to salinity varies between different varieties of date palm trees. This research aims to explore the long-term impact of different salinity irrigation levels on the mineral content of 13 date palm varieties grown in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Date varieties were grown using three irrigation water salinity levels of 5, 10 and 15 dS m-1. The mineral composition (B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P and Zn) of date palm fruits was determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). High salinity levels showed no effect on the mineral content of Ajwat AlMadinah, Naghal, Barhi, Shagri, Abu Maan, Jabri, Sukkari and Rothan varieties. All date varieties remained good sources of dietary potassium, magnesium, manganese and boron even at high salinity levels. Increased salinity had no effect on the percent Daily Value (%DV) categories of most of the analyzed minerals. While no genotypes showed a general adaptation to different saline environments, Barhi, Ajwat Al Madinah, Khinizi, Maktoumi and Shagri varieties were more stable towards salinity variation. In the UAE, the genotype x saline-environment interaction was found to be high which makes it impossible to attribute the variation in mineral content to a single varietal or salinity effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania Dghaim
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Dubai P.O. Box 19282, United Arab Emirates; (R.A.G.); (D.H.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Zied Hammami
- Crop Diversification and Genetics Section, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), Dubai P.O. Box 14660, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Rola Al Ghali
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Dubai P.O. Box 19282, United Arab Emirates; (R.A.G.); (D.H.)
| | - Linda Smail
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Dubai P.O. Box 19282, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Dalia Haroun
- Department of Health Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Dubai P.O. Box 19282, United Arab Emirates; (R.A.G.); (D.H.)
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Outamamat E, Bourhia M, Dounas H, Salamatullah AM, Alzahrani A, Alyahya HK, Albadr NA, Al Feddy MN, Mnasri B, Ouahmane L. Application of Native or Exotic Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Complexes and Monospecific Isolates from Saline Semi-Arid Mediterranean Ecosystems Improved Phoenix dactylifera's Growth and Mitigated Salt Stress Negative Effects. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:2501. [PMID: 34834866 PMCID: PMC8624251 DOI: 10.3390/plants10112501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The date, the palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an important component of arid and semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystems, particularly in Morocco where it plays a considerable socio-economic and ecological role. This species is largely affected by desertification, global warming, and anthropic pressure. Salinity is a very worrying problem that negatively affects the growth and the physiological and biochemical activities of the date palm. In these arid zones, the main challenge is to develop new environmentally friendly technologies that improve crop tolerance to abiotic restraints including salinity. In this sense, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have received much attention due to their capability in promoting plant growth and tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. It is thus fitting that the current research work was undertaken to evaluate and compare the effects of native AMF on the development of the growth and tolerance of date palm to salt stress along with testing their role as biofertilizers. To achieve this goal, two complexes and two monospecific isolates of native and non-native AMF were used to inoculate date palm seedlings under saline stress (0 g·L-1 Na Cl, 10 g·L-1, and 20 g·L-1 Na Cl). The obtained results showed that salinity drastically affected the physiological parameters and growth of date palm seedlings, whilst the application of selected AMF significantly improved growth parameters and promoted the activities of antioxidant enzymes as a protective strategy. Inoculation with non-native AMF complex and monospecific isolates showed higher responses for all analyzed parameters when compared with the native complex and isolate. It therefore becomes necessary to glamorize the fungal communities associated with date palm for their use in the inoculation of Phoenix dactylifera L. seedlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmostapha Outamamat
- Labeled Research Unit-CNRST N°4, Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Agro-Sciences and Environment (BioMAgE), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco; (E.O.); (M.B.); (H.D.)
| | - Mohammed Bourhia
- Labeled Research Unit-CNRST N°4, Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Agro-Sciences and Environment (BioMAgE), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco; (E.O.); (M.B.); (H.D.)
| | - Hanane Dounas
- Labeled Research Unit-CNRST N°4, Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Agro-Sciences and Environment (BioMAgE), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco; (E.O.); (M.B.); (H.D.)
| | - Ahmad Mohammad Salamatullah
- Department of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.S.); (A.A.); (H.K.A.); (N.A.A.)
| | - Abdulhakeem Alzahrani
- Department of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.S.); (A.A.); (H.K.A.); (N.A.A.)
| | - Heba Khalil Alyahya
- Department of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.S.); (A.A.); (H.K.A.); (N.A.A.)
| | - Nawal A. Albadr
- Department of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (A.M.S.); (A.A.); (H.K.A.); (N.A.A.)
| | - Mohamed Najib Al Feddy
- Plant Protection Unit, Laboratory of Phyto-Bacteriology, National Institute of Agronomic Research, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco;
| | - Bacem Mnasri
- Centre of Biotechnology of Borj-Cédria, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia;
| | - Lahcen Ouahmane
- Labeled Research Unit-CNRST N°4, Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Agro-Sciences and Environment (BioMAgE), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco; (E.O.); (M.B.); (H.D.)
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Du B, Ma Y, Yáñez-Serrano AM, Arab L, Fasbender L, Alfarraj S, Albasher G, Hedrich R, White PJ, Werner C, Rennenberg H. Physiological responses of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) seedlings to seawater and flooding. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:3318-3329. [PMID: 33259640 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In their natural environment along coast lines, date palms are exposed to seawater inundation and, hence, combined stress by salinity and flooding. To elucidate the consequences of this combined stress on foliar gas exchange and metabolite abundances in leaves and roots, date palm seedlings were exposed to flooding with seawater and its major constituents under controlled conditions. Seawater flooding significantly reduced CO2 assimilation, transpiration and stomatal conductance, but did not affect isoprene emission. A similar effect was observed upon NaCl exposure. By contrast, flooding with distilled water or MgSO4 did not affect CO2 /H2 O gas exchange or stomatal conductance significantly, indicating that neither flooding itself, nor seawater sulfate, contributed greatly to stomatal closure. Seawater exposure increased Na and Cl contents in leaves and roots, but did not affect sulfate contents significantly. Metabolite analyses revealed reduced abundances of foliar compatible solutes, such as sugars and sugar alcohols, whereas nitrogen compounds accumulated in roots. Reduced transpiration upon seawater exposure may contribute to controlling the movement of toxic ions to leaves and, therefore, can be seen as a mechanism to cope with salinity. The present results indicate that date palm seedlings are tolerant towards seawater exposure to some extent, and highly tolerant to flooding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoguo Du
- College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Mianyang Normal University, Mianxing Road West 166, Mianyang, 621000, China
- Chair of Tree Physiology, Institute of Forest Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
| | - Yuhua Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Ningda Road 251, Xining, 810016, China
- Chair of Tree Physiology, Institute of Forest Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
| | - Ana Maria Yáñez-Serrano
- Ecosystem Physiology, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53/54, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
| | - Leila Arab
- Chair of Tree Physiology, Institute of Forest Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
| | - Lukas Fasbender
- Ecosystem Physiology, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53/54, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
| | - Saleh Alfarraj
- King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gadah Albasher
- King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rainer Hedrich
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, 97082, Germany
| | - Philip J White
- King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, Scotland, UK
| | - Christiane Werner
- Ecosystem Physiology, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53/54, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
| | - Heinz Rennenberg
- Chair of Tree Physiology, Institute of Forest Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
- King Saud University, PO Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Al-Khateeb SA, Al-Khateeb AA, Sattar MN, Mohmand AS. Induced in vitro adaptation for salt tolerance in date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivar Khalas. Biol Res 2020; 53:37. [PMID: 32847618 PMCID: PMC7450699 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-020-00305-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soil salinity causes huge economic losses to agriculture productivity in arid and semiarid areas worldwide. The affected plants face disturbances in osmotic adjustment, nutrient transport, ionic toxicity and reduced photosynthesis. Conventional breeding approaches produce little success in combating various stresses in plants. However, non-conventional approaches, such as in vitro tissue culturing, produce genetic variability in the development of salt-tolerant plants, particularly in woody trees. RESULTS Embryogenic callus cultures of the date palm cultivar Khalas were subjected to various salt levels ranging from 0 to 300 mM in eight subcultures. The regenerants obtained from the salt-treated cultures were regenerated and evaluated using the same concentration of NaCl with which the calli were treated. All the salt-adapted (SA) regenerants showed improved growth characteristics, physiological performance, ion concentrations and K+/Na+ ratios than the salt non-adapted (SNA) regenerants and the control. Regression between the leaf Na+ concentration and net photosynthesis revealed an inverse nonlinear correlation in the SNA regenerants. Leaf K+ contents and stomatal conductance showed a strong linear relationship in SA regenerants compared with the inverse linear correlation, and a very poor coefficient of determination in SNA regenerants. The genetic fidelity of the selected SA regenerants was also tested using 36 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers, of which 26 produced scorable bands. The primers generated 1-10 bands, with an average of 5.4 bands per RAPD primer; there was no variation between SA regenerants and the negative control. CONCLUSION This is the first report of the variants generated from salt-stressed cultures and their potential adaptation to salinity in date palm cv. Khalas. The massive production of salt stress-adapted date palm plants may be much easier using the salt adaptation approach. Such plants can perform better during exposure to salt stress compared to the non-treated date palm plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suliman A Al-Khateeb
- Department of Environment Natural Resources, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
| | - Abdullatif A Al-Khateeb
- Department of Agriculture Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad N Sattar
- Central Laboratories, King Faisal University, Box 420, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - Akbar S Mohmand
- Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC), Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, Pakistan
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Al-Harrasi I, Jana GA, Patankar HV, Al-Yahyai R, Rajappa S, Kumar PP, Yaish MW. A novel tonoplast Na +/H + antiporter gene from date palm (PdNHX6) confers enhanced salt tolerance response in Arabidopsis. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2020; 39:1079-1093. [PMID: 32382811 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-020-02549-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
A sodium hydrogen exchanger (NHX) gene from the date palm enhances tolerance to salinity in Arabidopsis plants. Plant sodium hydrogen exchangers/antiporters (NHXs) are pivotal regulators of intracellular Na+/K+ and pH homeostasis, which is essential for salt stress adaptation. In this study, a novel orthologue of Na+/H+ antiporter was isolated from date palm (PdNHX6) and functionally characterized in mutant yeast cells and Arabidopsis plants to assess the behavior of the transgenic organisms in response to salinity. Genetically transformed yeast cells with PdNHX6 were sensitive to salt stress when compared to the empty vector (EV) yeast cells. Besides, the acidity value of the vacuoles of the transformant yeast cells has significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased, as indicated by the calibrated fluorescence intensity measurements and the fluorescence imagining analyses. This observation supports the notion that PdNHX6 might regulate proton pumping into the vacuole, a crucial salt tolerance mechanism in the plants. Consistently, the transient overexpression and subcellular localization revealed the accumulation of PdNHX6 in the tonoplast surrounding the central vacuole of Nicotiana benthamiana leaf epidermal cells. Stable overexpression of PdNHX6 in Arabidopsis plants enhanced tolerance to salt stress and retained significantly higher chlorophyll, water contents, and increased seed germination under salinity when compared to the wild-type plants. Despite the significant increase of Na+, transgenic Arabidopsis lines maintained a balanced Na+/K+ ratio under salt stress conditions. Together, the results obtained from this study imply that PdNHX6 is involved in the salt tolerance mechanism in plants by controlling K+ and pH homeostasis of the vacuoles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibtisam Al-Harrasi
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 36, 123, Muscat, Oman
| | - Gerry Aplang Jana
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 36, 123, Muscat, Oman
| | - Himanshu V Patankar
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 36, 123, Muscat, Oman
| | - Rashid Al-Yahyai
- Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 34, 123, Muscat, Oman
| | - Sivamathini Rajappa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Prakash P Kumar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Mahmoud W Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 36, 123, Muscat, Oman.
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Hussain MI, Farooq M, Muscolo A, Rehman A. Crop diversification and saline water irrigation as potential strategies to save freshwater resources and reclamation of marginal soils-a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:28695-28729. [PMID: 32462627 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09111-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Feeding 9 billion by 2050 is one of major challenges for researchers. Use of diversified crops, nonconventional water resources and rehabilitation of marginal lands are alternate options to produce more food to face climate change projections. Adaptation to climate change through climate smart agriculture practices, agroecology activities, and crop-based management packages can help transform the marginal lands from environmental burdens into productive and economic blocks. This review discusses the recent advancements on specialty group of alternate crops (oil seeds, legumes, cereals, medicinal, lignocellulose, and fruit crops) which can adapt in the marginal environments. Availability of alternate water resources (saline water, treated wastewater) for irrigation cannot be omitted. Crop diversification systems involving drought and salt-tolerant crops are likely to be the key to future agricultural and economic growth in the regions where salt-affected soils exist and/or saline aquifers are pumped for irrigation. These systems may tackle three main tasks: sustainable management of land resources and enhancement of per unit productivity; intensification of agroecological practices to increase soil fertility; and improving productivity of marginal lands for diversified climate smart crops. This review explores various aspects of marginal lands and selection of tolerant crop genotypes, crop diversification, and agroecological practices to maximize benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Muhammad Farooq
- Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, 123, Al-Khoud, Oman
- Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Adele Muscolo
- Department of Agriculture, Mediterranea University, Feo di Vito, 89122, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Abdul Rehman
- Department of Crop Sciences and Biotechnology, Dankook University, 119, Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, 31116, Korea
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Hazzouri KM, Flowers JM, Nelson D, Lemansour A, Masmoudi K, Amiri KMA. Prospects for the Study and Improvement of Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Date Palms in the Post-genomics Era. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:293. [PMID: 32256513 PMCID: PMC7090123 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a socio-economically important crop in the Middle East and North Africa and a major contributor to food security in arid regions of the world. P. dactylifera is both drought and salt tolerant, but recent water shortages and increases in groundwater and soil salinity have threatened the continued productivity of the crop. Recent studies of date palm have begun to elucidate the physiological mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance and the genes and biochemical pathways that control the response to these stresses. Here we review recent studies on tolerance of date palm to salinity and drought stress, the role of the soil and root microbiomes in abiotic stress tolerance, and highlight recent findings of omic-type studies. We present a perspective on future research of abiotic stress in date palm that includes improving existing genome resources, application of genetic mapping to determine the genetic basis of variation in tolerances among cultivars, and adoption of gene-editing technologies to the study of abiotic stress in date palms. Development of necessary resources and application of the proposed methods will provide a foundation for future breeders and genetic engineers aiming to develop more stress-tolerant cultivars of date palm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled Michel Hazzouri
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jonathan M. Flowers
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - David Nelson
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Khaled Masmoudi
- College of Food and Agriculture, Department of Integrative Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Khaled M. A. Amiri
- Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- College of Science, Department of Biology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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11
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Overexpression of a Metallothionein 2A Gene from Date Palm Confers Abiotic Stress Tolerance to Yeast and Arabidopsis thaliana. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20122871. [PMID: 31212812 PMCID: PMC6627811 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20122871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the date palm tree is an extremophile with tolerance to drought and certain levels of salinity, the damage caused by extreme salt concentrations in the soil, has created a need to explore stress-responsive traits and decode their mechanisms. Metallothioneins (MTs) are low-molecular-weight cysteine-rich proteins that are known to play a role in decreasing oxidative damage during abiotic stress conditions. Our previous study identified date palm metallothionein 2A (PdMT2A) as a salt-responsive gene, which has been functionally characterized in yeast and Arabidopsis in this study. The recombinant PdMT2A protein produced in Escherichia coli showed high reactivity against the substrate 5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB), implying that the protein has the property of scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Heterologous overexpression of PdMT2A in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) conferred tolerance to drought, salinity and oxidative stresses. The PdMT2A gene was also overexpressed in Arabidopsis, to assess its stress protective function in planta. Compared to the wild-type control, the transgenic plants accumulated less Na+ and maintained a high K+/Na+ ratio, which could be attributed to the regulatory role of the transgene on transporters such as HKT, as demonstrated by qPCR assay. In addition, transgenic lines exhibited higher chlorophyll content, higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and improved scavenging ability for reactive oxygen species (ROS), coupled with a better survival rate during salt stress conditions. Similarly, the transgenic plants also displayed better drought and oxidative stress tolerance. Collectively, both in vitro and in planta studies revealed a role for PdMT2A in salt, drought, and oxidative stress tolerance.
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Functional Characterization of Date Palm Aquaporin Gene PdPIP1;2 Confers Drought and Salinity Tolerance to Yeast and Arabidopsis. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10050390. [PMID: 31121945 PMCID: PMC6562508 DOI: 10.3390/genes10050390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies on salinity tolerance in date palm revealed the discovery of salt-responsive genes including PdPIP1;2, a highly conserved aquaporin gene in plants, which was functionally characterized in this study to investigate its precise role in drought and salinity tolerance. Immunoblot assay showed a high level of PIP1 protein accumulation only in the leaves of date palm plants when grown under drought, an observation which may imply the involvement of PIP1;2 in CO2 uptake. Heterologous overexpression of PdPIP1;2 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) improved tolerance to salinity and oxidative stress. While, heterologous overexpression of PdPIP1;2 in Arabidopsis had significantly (p < 0.05) increased biomass, chlorophyll content, and root length under drought and salinity. In addition, a significantly (p < 0.05) higher percentage of transgenic plants could be recovered by rewatering after drought stress, indicating the ability of the transgenic plants to maintain water and viability under drought. Transgenic plants under drought and salinity maintained significantly (p < 0.05) higher K+/Na+ ratios than wild type (WT) plants, an observation which may represent an efficient tolerance mechanism controlled by the transgene. Collectively, this study provided an insight on the mechanism by which PdPIP1;2 conferred tolerance to salt and drought stresses in date palm.
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13
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Ecophysiological Responses of Carpinus turczaninowii L. to Various Salinity Treatments. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10020096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Carpinus turczaninowii L., commonly known as hornbeam, has significant economic and ornamental importance and is largely distributed in the northern hemisphere, including parts of China and Korea, with high adaptation to harsh conditions in very unfertile soils. In this study, the ecophysiological responses of C. turczaninowii seedlings to various salinity stress treatments (NaCl: 0, 17, 34, 51, 68, and 85 mM) were studied for 42 days by determining stress-induced changes in growth parameters and biochemical markers. Salinity stress affected the values of all the examined parameters, both morphological and physiological, and caused the inhibition of plant growth, the degradation of photosynthetic capacity and stomatal behavior, a decrease in the photosynthetic pigments contents and relative water content, an increase in the Malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electrolytic conductivity, and the accumulation of Na+ and Cl− content. The presence of relatively high concentrations of organic osmolytes, the activation of antioxidant enzymes, and the ionic transport capacity from the root to shoots may represent a constitutive mechanism of defence against stress in C. turczaninowii seedlings. Our results suggest that C. turczaninowii can tolerate salinity at low and moderate concentrations (17–51 mM) under nursery conditions and can be widely used in roadsides, gardens, parks, and other urban areas.
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Jana GA, Al Kharusi L, Sunkar R, Al-Yahyai R, Yaish MW. Metabolomic analysis of date palm seedlings exposed to salinity and silicon treatments. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2019; 14:1663112. [PMID: 31505987 PMCID: PMC6804709 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2019.1663112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Silicon is known to promote plant growth as well as stress tolerance of plants. The current study was undertaken to assess the growth promoting effect of silicon on date palm seedling development as well as its ability to abate some of the negative effects of salinity. In this study, date palm seedlings were treated with silicon and sodium chloride salts, and the effect of these salts on some physiological parameters of the plants was determined. In addition, a global nontargeted metabolomics analysis was performed for the leaf and root tissues using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results showed that under non-stress conditions, silicon treatment enhanced the growth of the date palm seedlings, however, under salinity, silicon slightly mitigates the negative effects of salt stress on the date palm seedlings although it enhances the potassium accumulation under this condition. The global metabolomics analysis has identified a total of 1,101 significant differentially accumulated (p, q ≤ 0.05) metabolites in leaves and roots under silicon, salinity or their combination. A differential pairwise metabolic profile comparison revealed the accumulation of distinct metabolites in response to silicon and salinity treatments such as antioxidant compounds pyridoxine, cepharanthine, allithiamine, myristic acid and boldine; osmoregulators such as mucic acid; along with the accumulation of detoxification intermediates such as S-D-lactoylglutathione, beta-cyano-L-alanine and gamma-glutamyl-conjugates. In addition, histochemical analyses revealed that application of silicon significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced the formation of the Casparian strip. Identification of the differentially accumulated metabolites could offer an insight into how silicon is able to promote growth and salinity tolerance in date palms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerry Aplang Jana
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Latifa Al Kharusi
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Ramanjulu Sunkar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Rashid Al-Yahyai
- Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Mahmoud W. Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- CONTACT Mahmoud W. Yaish , Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 36, Muscat 123, Oman
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15
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Patankar HV, Al-Harrasi I, Al-Yahyai R, Yaish MW. Identification of Candidate Genes Involved in the Salt Tolerance of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Based on a Yeast Functional Bioassay. DNA Cell Biol 2018; 37:524-534. [DOI: 10.1089/dna.2018.4159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu V. Patankar
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Ibtisam Al-Harrasi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Rashid Al-Yahyai
- Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Mahmoud W. Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
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16
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Yaish MW, Al-Lawati A, Al-Harrasi I, Patankar HV. Genome-wide DNA Methylation analysis in response to salinity in the model plant caliph medic (Medicago truncatula). BMC Genomics 2018; 19:78. [PMID: 29361906 PMCID: PMC5781308 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4484-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background DNA methylation has a potential role in controlling gene expression and may, therefore, contribute to salinity adaptation in plants. Caliph medic (Medicago truncatula) is a model legume of moderate salinity tolerance capacity; however, a base-resolution DNA methylome map is not yet available for this plant. Results In this report, a differential whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was carried out using DNA samples extracted from root tissues exposed to either control or saline conditions. Around 50 million differentially methylated sites (DMSs) were recognized, 7% of which were significantly (p < 0.05, FDR < 0.05) altered in response to salinity. This analysis showed that 77.0% of the contexts of DMSs were mCHH, while only 9.1% and 13.9% were mCHG and mCG, respectively. The average change in methylation level was increased in all sequence contexts, ranging from 3.8 to 10.2% due to salinity stress. However, collectively, the level of the DNA methylation in the gene body slightly decreased in response to salinity treatment. The global increase in DNA methylation due to salinity was confirmed by mass spectrometry analysis. Gene expression analysis using qPCR did not reveal a constant relationship between the level of mCG methylation and the transcription abundance of some genes of potential importance in salinity tolerance, such as the potassium channel KAT3, the vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase (V-PPase), and the AP2/ERF and bZIP transcription factors, implying the involvement of other epigenetic gene expression controllers. Computational functional prediction of the annotated genes that embrace DMSs revealed the presence of enzymes with potential cellular functions in biological processes associated with salinity tolerance mechanisms. Conclusions The information obtained from this study illustrates the effect of salinity on DNA methylation and shows how plants can remodel the landscape of 5-methylcytosine nucleotide (5-mC) in the DNA across gene structures, in response to salinity. This remodeling varies between gene regions and between 5-mC sequence contexts. The mCG has a vague impact on the expression levels of a few selected potentially important genes in salt tolerant mechanisms. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4484-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud W Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
| | - Abbas Al-Lawati
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Ibtisam Al-Harrasi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
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Al-Harrasi I, Al-Yahyai R, Yaish MW. Differential DNA methylation and transcription profiles in date palm roots exposed to salinity. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191492. [PMID: 29352281 PMCID: PMC5774813 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
As a salt-adaptive plant, the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) requires a suitable mechanism to adapt to the stress of saline soils. There is growing evidence that DNA methylation plays an important role in regulating gene expression in response to abiotic stresses, including salinity. Thus, the present study sought to examine the differential methylation status that occurs in the date palm genome when plants are exposed to salinity, and to identify salinity responsive genes that are regulated by DNA methylation. To achieve these, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was employed and mRNA was sequenced from salinity-treated and untreated roots. The WGBS analysis included 324,987,795 and 317,056,091 total reads of the control and the salinity-treated samples, respectively. The analysis covered about 81% of the total genomic DNA with about 40% of mapping efficiency of the sequenced reads and an average read depth of 17-fold coverage per DNA strand, and with a bisulfite conversion rate of around 99%. The level of methylation within the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) was significantly (p < 0.05, FDR ≤ 0.05) increased in response to salinity specifically at the mCHG and mCHH sequence contexts. Consistently, the mass spectrometry and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that there was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the global DNA methylation in response to salinity. mRNA sequencing revealed the presence of 6,405 differentially regulated genes with a significant value (p < 0.001, FDR ≤ 0.05) in response to salinity. Integration of high-resolution methylome and transcriptome analyses revealed a negative correlation between mCG methylation located within the promoters and the gene expression, while a positive correlation was noticed between mCHG/mCHH methylation rations and gene expression specifically when plants grew under control conditions. Therefore, the methylome and transcriptome relationships vary based on the methylated sequence context, the methylated region within the gene, the protein-coding ability of the gene, and the salinity treatment. These results provide insights into interplay among DNA methylation and gene expression, and highlight the effect of salinity on the nature of this relationship, which may involve other genetic and epigenetic players under salt stress conditions. The results obtained from this project provide the first draft map of the differential methylome and transcriptome of date palm when exposed to an abiotic stress.
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MESH Headings
- Adaptation, Physiological/genetics
- DNA Methylation
- DNA, Plant/genetics
- DNA, Plant/metabolism
- Epigenesis, Genetic
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Genes, Plant
- Molecular Sequence Annotation
- Phoeniceae/genetics
- Phoeniceae/growth & development
- Phoeniceae/metabolism
- Photosynthesis
- Plant Roots/genetics
- Plant Roots/growth & development
- Plant Roots/metabolism
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- RNA, Plant/genetics
- RNA, Plant/metabolism
- Salinity
- Whole Genome Sequencing
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibtisam Al-Harrasi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Rashid Al-Yahyai
- Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Mahmoud W. Yaish
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- * E-mail:
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