1. Physiological and biochemical responses of the forage legume Trifolium alexandrinum to different saline conditions and nitrogen levels
- Author
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Khaldoun Alsane, Barhoumi Zouhaier, Atia Abdallah, Maatallah Mariem, Abdelly Chedly, Rabhi Mokded, Smaoui Abderrazek, and Aida Rouached
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Stomatal conductance ,Salinity ,Soil salinity ,Nitrogen ,chemistry.chemical_element ,Plant Science ,Biology ,Sodium Chloride ,Nitrate reductase ,01 natural sciences ,Nitrate Reductase ,Plant Roots ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Animal science ,Nitrate ,Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase ,Stress, Physiological ,Trifolium alexandrinum ,Biomass ,Photosynthesis ,Enzyme Assays ,Minerals ,Plant Stems ,Plant Transpiration ,biology.organism_classification ,Plant Leaves ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Agronomy ,Plant Stomata ,Trifolium ,Plant nutrition ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Salinity stress reduces plant productivity, but low levels of salinity often increase plant growth rates in some species. We herein describe the effects of salinity on plant growth while focusing on nitrogen use. We treated Trifolium alexandrinum with two nitrogen concentrations and salinity levels and determined growth rates, mineral concentrations, nitrogen use efficiency, photosynthesis rates, and nitrate reductase (NR, E.C. 1.6.6.1) and glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) activities. The T. alexandrinum growth rate increased following treatment with 100 mM NaCl in low nitrogen (LN) and high nitrogen (HN) conditions. Salt treatment also increased root volume, intrinsic water use efficiency, and nitrogen use efficiency in LN and HN conditions. These changes likely contributed to higher biomass production. Salinity also increased accumulations of sodium, chloride, and phosphate, but decreased potassium and calcium levels and total nitrogen concentrations in all plant organs independently of the available nitrogen level. However, the effect of salt treatment on magnesium and nitrate concentrations in photosynthetic organs depended on nitrogen levels. Salt treatment reduced photosynthesis rates in LN and HN conditions because of inhibited stomatal conductance. The effects of salinity on leaf NR and GS activities depended on nitrogen levels, with activities increasing in LN conditions. In saline conditions, LN availability resulted in optimal growth because of low chloride accumulation and increases in total nitrogen concentrations, nitrogen use efficiency, and NR and GS activities in photosynthetic organs. Therefore, T. alexandrinum is a legume forage crop that can be cultivated in low-saline soils where nitrogen availability is limited.
- Published
- 2015