Naslov
Physiological characterization of a pepper hybrid rootstock designed to cope with salinity stress

Autori
López-Serrano, Lidia ; Canet-Sanchis, Guillermo ; Vuletin Selak, Gabriela ; Penella, Consuelo ; San Bautista, Alberto ; López-Galarza, Salvador ; Calatayud, Ángeles

Izvornik
Plant physiology and biochemistry (0981-9428) 148 (2020); 207-219

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Antioxidant capacity ; Graft ; H2O2 ; Pepper ; Photosynthesis ; Rootstock

Sažetak
In pepper crops, rootstocks that tolerate salt stress are not used because available commercial rootstocks offer limited profits. In this context, we obtained the hybrid NIBER®, a new salinity-tolerant rootstock that has been tested under real salinity field conditions for 3 years with 32%–80% higher yields than ungrafted pepper plants. This study aimed to set up the initial mechanisms involved in the salinity tolerance of grafted pepper plants using NIBER® as a rootstock to study root-shoot behavior, a basic requirement to develop efficient rootstocks. Gas exchange, Na+/K+, antioxidant capacity, nitrate reductase activity, ABA, proline, H2O2, phenols, MDA concentration and biomass were measured in ungrafted plants of cultivar Adige (A), self- grafted (A/A), grafted onto NIBER® (A/N) and reciprocal grafted plants (N/A), all exposed to 0 mM and 70 mM NaCl over a 10-day period. Salinity significantly and quickly decreased photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and nitrate reductase activity, but to lower extent in A/N plants compared to A, A/A and N/A. A/N plants showed decreases in the Na+/K+ ratio, ABA content and lipid peroxidation activity. This oxidative damage alleviation in A/N was probably due to an enhanced H2O2 level that activates antioxidant capacity to cope salinity stress, and acts as a signal molecule rather than a damaging one by contributing a major increase in phenols and, to a lesser extent, in proline concentration. These traits led to a minor impact on biomass in A/N plants under salinity conditions. Only the plants with the NIBER® rootstock controlled the scion by modulating responses to salinity.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija, Poljoprivreda (agronomija)

POVEZANOST RADA