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Boussora F, Triki T, Bennani L, Bagues M, Ben Ali S, Ferchichi A, Ngaz K, Guasmi F. Mineral accumulation, relative water content and gas exchange are the main physiological regulating mechanisms to cope with salt stress in barley. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14931. [PMID: 38942909 PMCID: PMC11213892 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65967-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Salinity has become a major environmental concern for agricultural lands, leading to decreased crop yields. Hence, plant biology experts aim to genetically improve barley's adaptation to salinity stress by deeply studying the effects of salt stress and the responses of barley to this stress. In this context, our study aims to explore the variation in physiological and biochemical responses of five Tunisian spring barley genotypes to salt stress during the heading phase. Two salinity treatments were induced by using 100 mM NaCl (T1) and 250 mM NaCl (T2) in the irrigation water. Significant phenotypic variations were detected among the genotypes in response to salt stress. Plants exposed to 250 mM of NaCl showed an important decline in all studied physiological parameters namely, gas exchange, ions concentration and relative water content RWC. The observed decreases in concentrations ranged from, approximately, 6.64% to 40.76% for K+, 5.91% to 43.67% for Na+, 14.12% to 52.38% for Ca2+, and 15.22% to 38.48% for Mg2+ across the different genotypes and salt stress levels. However, under salinity conditions, proline and soluble sugars increased for all genotypes with an average increase of 1.6 times in proline concentrations and 1.4 times in soluble sugars concentration. Furthermore, MDA levels rose also for all genotypes, with the biggest rise in Lemsi genotype (114.27% of increase compared to control). Ardhaoui and Rihane showed higher photosynthetic activity compared to the other genotypes across all treatments. The stepwise regression approach identified potassium content, K+/Na+ ratio, relative water content, stomatal conductance and SPAD measurement as predominant traits for thousand kernel weight (R2 = 84.06), suggesting their significant role in alleviating salt stress in barley. Overall, at heading stage, salt accumulation in irrigated soils with saline water significantly influences the growth of barley by influencing gas exchange parameters, mineral composition and water content, in a genotype-dependent manner. These results will serve on elucidating the genetic mechanisms underlying these variations to facilitate targeted improvements in barley's tolerance to salt stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Boussora
- Drylands and Oases Cropping Laboratory LACO, Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine (IRA), Sreet El Djorf 22.5 km, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia.
| | - Tebra Triki
- Drylands and Oases Cropping Laboratory LACO, Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine (IRA), Sreet El Djorf 22.5 km, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia
| | - Leila Bennani
- Drylands and Oases Cropping Laboratory LACO, Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine (IRA), Sreet El Djorf 22.5 km, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Bagues
- Drylands and Oases Cropping Laboratory LACO, Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine (IRA), Sreet El Djorf 22.5 km, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia
| | - Sihem Ben Ali
- Drylands and Oases Cropping Laboratory LACO, Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine (IRA), Sreet El Djorf 22.5 km, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia
| | - Ali Ferchichi
- Department of Rural Engineering, Water, and Forests GREF, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Tunis (INAT), 43 Charles Nicolle, 1082, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Kamel Ngaz
- Drylands and Oases Cropping Laboratory LACO, Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine (IRA), Sreet El Djorf 22.5 km, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia
| | - Ferdaous Guasmi
- Drylands and Oases Cropping Laboratory LACO, Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine (IRA), Sreet El Djorf 22.5 km, 4119, Medenine, Tunisia
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Xiong M, Xu J, Zhou Z, Peng B, Shen Y, Shen H, Xu X, Li C, Deng L, Feng G. Salinity inhibits seed germination and embryo growth by reducing starch mobilization efficiency in barley. PLANT DIRECT 2024; 8:e564. [PMID: 38312996 PMCID: PMC10835642 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Barley is one of the world's earliest domesticated crops, which is widely used for beer production, animal feeding, and health care. Barley seed germination, particularly in increasingly saline soils, is key to ensure the safety of crop production. However, the mechanism of salt-affected seed germination in barley remains elusive. Here, two different colored barley varieties were used to independently study the regulation mechanism of salt tolerance during barley seed germination. High salinity delays barley seed germination by slowing down starch mobilization efficiency in seeds. The starch plate test revealed that salinity had a significant inhibitory effect on α-amylase activity in barley seeds. Further, NaCl treatment down-regulated the expression of Amy1, Amy2 and Amy3 genes in germinated seeds, thereby inhibiting α-amylase activity. In addition, the result of embryogenic culture system in vitro showed that the shoot elongation of barley was significantly inhibited by salt stress. These findings indicate that it is a feasible idea to study the regulation mechanism of salinity on barley seed germination and embryo growth from the aspect of starch-related source-sink communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Xiong
- College of Marine and Biology EngineeringYancheng Institute of TechnologyYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Jian Xu
- College of Marine and Biology EngineeringYancheng Institute of TechnologyYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Zhou Zhou
- College of Marine and Biology EngineeringYancheng Institute of TechnologyYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Bin Peng
- College of Marine and Biology EngineeringYancheng Institute of TechnologyYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Yuxiang Shen
- College of Marine and Biology EngineeringYancheng Institute of TechnologyYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Huiquan Shen
- Jiangsu Coastal Area Institute of Agricultural SciencesYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Xiao Xu
- Jiangsu Coastal Area Institute of Agricultural SciencesYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Changya Li
- Yancheng Grain and Oil Crop Technical Guidance StationYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Lina Deng
- College of Marine and Biology EngineeringYancheng Institute of TechnologyYanchengJiangsuChina
| | - Gongneng Feng
- College of Marine and Biology EngineeringYancheng Institute of TechnologyYanchengJiangsuChina
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