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Yang W, Feng H, Zhou J, Jia T, Tang T, Zhang H, Peng Y. Exogenous silicon induces aluminum tolerance in white clover ( Trifolium repens) by reducing aluminum uptake and enhancing organic acid secretion. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17472. [PMID: 38827280 PMCID: PMC11144389 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Excessive aluminum (Al) in acidic soils is a primary factor that hinders plant growth. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect and physiological mechanism of exogenous silicon (Si) in alleviating aluminum toxicity. Under hydroponic conditions, 4 mM Al significantly impeded the growth of white clover; however, pretreatments with 1 mM Si mitigated this inhibition, as evidenced by notable changes in growth indicators and physiological parameters. Exogenous silicon notably increased both shoot and root length of white clover and significantly decreased electrolyte leakage (EL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content compared to aluminum treatments. This positive effect was particularly evident in the roots. Further analysis involving hematoxylin staining, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and examination of organic acids (OAs) demonstrated that silicon relieved the accumulation of bioactive aluminum and ameliorated damage to root tissues in aluminum-stressed plants. Additionally, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis revealed that additional silicon was primarily distributed in the root epidermal and cortical layers, effectively reducing the transport of aluminum and maintaining the balance of exchangeable cations absorption. These findings suggest that gradual silicon deposition in root tissues effectively prevents the absorption of biologically active aluminum, thereby reducing the risk of mineral nutrient deficiencies induced by aluminum stress, promoting organic acids exudation, and compartmentalizing aluminum in the outer layer of root tissues. This mechanism helps white clover alleviate the damage caused by aluminum toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqiang Yang
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Huahao Feng
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianzhen Zhou
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Tong Jia
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Tang
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Han Zhang
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Peng
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
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Zhang Y, Li J, Guo K, Wang T, Gao L, Sun Z, Ma C, Wang C, Tian Y, Zheng X. Strigolactones alleviate AlCl 3 stress by vacuolar compartmentalization and cell wall blocking in apple. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38565306 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Poor management and excess fertilization of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchards are causing increasingly serious soil acidification, resulting in Al toxicity and direct poisoning of roots. Strigolactones (SLs) are reported to be involved in plant responses to abiotic stress, but their role and mechanism under AlCl3 stress remain unknown. Here, we found that applying 1 μm GR24 (an SL analoge) significantly alleviated AlCl3 stress of M26 apple rootstock, mainly by blocking the movement of Al through cell wall and by vacuolar compartmentalization of Al. RNA-seq analysis identified the core transcription factor gene MdWRKY53, and overexpressing MdWRKY53 enhanced AlCl3 tolerance in transgenic apple plants through the same mechanism as GR24. Subsequently, we identified MdPMEI45 (encoding pectin methylesterase inhibitor) and MdALS3 (encoding an Al transporter) as downstream target genes of MdWRKY53 using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq). GR24 enhanced the interaction between MdWRKY53 and the transcription factor MdTCP15, further increasing the binding of MdWRKY53 to the MdPMEI45 promoter and inducing MdPMEI45 expression to prevent Al from crossing cell wall. MdWRKY53 also bound to the promoter of MdALS3 and enhanced its transcription to compartmentalize Al in vacuoles under AlCl3 stress. We therefore identified two modules involved in alleviating AlCl3 stress in woody plant apple: the SL-WRKY+TCP-PMEI module required for excluding external Al by blocking the entry of Al3+ into cells and the SL-WRKY-ALS module allowing internal detoxification of Al through vacuolar compartmentalization. These findings lay a foundation for the practical application of SLs in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Jianyu Li
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Kexin Guo
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Tianchao Wang
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Lijie Gao
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Zhijuan Sun
- College of Life Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Changqing Ma
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Caihong Wang
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Yike Tian
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Xiaodong Zheng
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
- Engineering Laboratory of Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops of Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266109, China
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Wang S, Cheng H, Wei Y. Supplemental Silicon and Boron Alleviates Aluminum-Induced Oxidative Damage in Soybean Roots. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:821. [PMID: 38592832 PMCID: PMC10975118 DOI: 10.3390/plants13060821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Aluminum (Al) toxicity in acidic soils is a major abiotic stress that negatively impacts plant growth and development. The toxic effects of Al manifest primarily in the root system, leading to inhibited root elongation and functionality, which impairs the above-ground organs of the plant. Recent research has greatly improved our understanding of the applications of small molecule compounds in alleviating Al toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the role of boron (B), silicon (Si), and their combination in alleviating Al toxicity in soybeans. The results revealed that the combined application significantly improved the biomass and length of soybean roots exposed to Al toxicity compared to B and Si treatments alone. Our results also indicated that Al toxicity causes programmed cell death (PCD) in soybean roots, while B, Si, and their combination all alleviated the PCD induced by Al toxicity. The oxidative damage induced by Al toxicity was noticeably alleviated, as evidenced by lower MAD and H2O2 accumulation in the soybean roots treated with the B and Si combination. Moreover, B, Si, and combined B and Si significantly enhanced plant antioxidant systems by up-regulating antioxidant enzymes including CAT, POD, APX, and SOD. Overall, supplementation with B, Si, and their combination was found to alleviate oxidative damage and reduce PCD caused by Al toxicity, which may be one of the mechanisms by which they alleviate root growth inhibition due to Al toxicity. Our results suggest that supplementation with B, Si, and their combination may be an effective strategy to improve soybean growth and productivity against Al toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuwei Wang
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (S.W.); (H.C.)
| | - Haijing Cheng
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (S.W.); (H.C.)
| | - Yunmin Wei
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (S.W.); (H.C.)
- College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
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Ahmad W, Coffman L, Weerasooriya AD, Crawford K, Khan AL. The silicon regulates microbiome diversity and plant defenses during cold stress in Glycine max L. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 14:1280251. [PMID: 38269137 PMCID: PMC10805835 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1280251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Introduction With climate change, frequent exposure of bioenergy and food crops, specifically soybean (Glycine max L.), to low-temperature episodes is a major obstacle in maintaining sustainable plant growth at early growth stages. Silicon (Si) is a quasi-essential nutrient that can help to improve stress tolerance; however, how Si and a combination of cold stress episodes influence plant growth, plant physiology, and microbiome diversity has yet to be fully discovered. Methods The soybean plants were exposed to cold stress (8-10°C) with or without applying Si, and the different plant organs (shoot and root) and rhizospheric soil were subjected to microbiome analysis. The plant growth, physiology, and gene expression analysis of plant defenses during stress and Si were investigated. Results and discussion We showed that cold stress significantly retarded soybean plants' growth and biomass, whereas, Si-treated plants showed ameliorated negative impacts on plant growth at early seedling stages. The beneficial effects of Si were also evident from significantly reduced antioxidant activities - suggesting lower cold-induced oxidative stress. Interestingly, Si also downregulated critical genes of the abscisic acid pathway and osmotic regulation (9-cis-epoxy carotenoid dioxygenase and dehydration-responsive element binding protein) during cold stress. Si positively influenced alpha and beta diversities of bacterial and fungal microbiomes with or without cold stress. Results showed significant variation in microbiome composition in the rhizosphere (root and soil) and phyllosphere (shoot) in Si-treated plants with or without cold stress exposures. Among microbiome phyla, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Ascomycota were significantly more abundant in Si treatments in cold stress than in control conditions. For the core microbiome, we identified 179 taxa, including 88 unique bacterial genera in which Edaphobacter, Haliangium, and Streptomyces were highly abundant. Enhanced extracellular enzyme activities in the cold and Si+cold treatments, specifically phosphatase and glucosidases, also reflected the microbiome abundance. In conclusion, this work elucidates cold-mediated changes in microbiome diversity and plant growth, including the positive impact Si can have on cold tolerance at early soybean growth stages - a step toward understanding crop productivity and stress tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqar Ahmad
- Department of Engineering Technology, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Sugar Land, TX, United States
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, College of Natural Science & Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lauryn Coffman
- Department of Engineering Technology, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Sugar Land, TX, United States
| | - Aruna D Weerasooriya
- Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, College of Agriculture & Human Sciences, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, United States
| | - Kerri Crawford
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, College of Natural Science & Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Abdul Latif Khan
- Department of Engineering Technology, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Sugar Land, TX, United States
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, College of Natural Science & Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Imran M, Mpovo CL, Aaqil Khan M, Shaffique S, Ninson D, Bilal S, Khan M, Kwon EH, Kang SM, Yun BW, Lee IJ. Synergistic Effect of Melatonin and Lysinibacillus fusiformis L. (PLT16) to Mitigate Drought Stress via Regulation of Hormonal, Antioxidants System, and Physio-Molecular Responses in Soybean Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:8489. [PMID: 37239837 PMCID: PMC10218646 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Drought is one of the most detrimental factors that causes significant effects on crop development and yield. However, the negative effects of drought stress may be alleviated with the aid of exogenous melatonin (MET) and the use of plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). The present investigation aimed to validate the effects of co-inoculation of MET and Lysinibacillus fusiformis on hormonal, antioxidant, and physio-molecular regulation in soybean plants to reduce the effects of drought stress. Therefore, ten randomly selected isolates were subjected to various plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) traits and a polyethylene-glycol (PEG)-resistance test. Among these, PLT16 tested positive for the production of exopolysaccharide (EPS), siderophore, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), along with higher PEG tolerance, in vitro IAA, and organic-acid production. Therefore, PLT16 was further used in combination with MET to visualize the role in drought-stress mitigation in soybean plant. Furthermore, drought stress significantly damages photosynthesis, enhances ROS production, and reduces water stats, hormonal signaling and antioxidant enzymes, and plant growth and development. However, the co-application of MET and PLT16 enhanced plant growth and development and improved photosynthesis pigments (chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids) under both normal conditions and drought stress. This may be because hydrogen-peroxide (H2O2), superoxide-anion (O2-), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were reduced and antioxidant activities were enhanced to maintain redox homeostasis and reduce the abscisic-acid (ABA) level and its biosynthesis gene NCED3 while improving the synthesis of jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) to mitigate drought stress and balance the stomata activity to maintain the relative water states. This may be possible due to a significant increase in endo-melatonin content, regulation of organic acids, and enhancement of nutrient uptake (calcium, potassium, and magnesium) by co-inoculated PLT16 and MET under normal conditions and drought stress. In addition, co-inoculated PLT16 and MET modulated the relative expression of DREB2 and TFs bZIP while enhancing the expression level of ERD1 under drought stress. In conclusion, the current study found that the combined application of melatonin and Lysinibacillus fusiformis inoculation increased plant growth and could be used to regulate plant function during drought stress as an eco-friendly and low-cost approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Imran
- Biosafety Division, National Institute of Agriculture Science, Rural Development Administration, Jeonju 54874, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Clems Luzolo Mpovo
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Muhammad Aaqil Khan
- Department of Chemical and Life Sciences, Qurtuba University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar 24830, Pakistan
| | - Shifa Shaffique
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Daniel Ninson
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Saqib Bilal
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman
| | - Murtaza Khan
- Department of Horticulture and Life Science, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hae Kwon
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Mo Kang
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Wook Yun
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Jung Lee
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
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Khan T, Bilal S, Asaf S, Alamri SS, Imran M, Khan AL, Al-Rawahi A, Lee IJ, Al-Harrasi A. Silicon-Induced Tolerance against Arsenic Toxicity by Activating Physiological, Anatomical and Biochemical Regulation in Phoenix dactylifera (Date Palm). PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11172263. [PMID: 36079645 PMCID: PMC9459973 DOI: 10.3390/plants11172263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Arsenic is a toxic metal abundantly present in agricultural, industrial, and pesticide effluents. To overcome arsenic toxicity and ensure safety for plant growth, silicon (Si) can play a significant role in its mitigation. Here, we aim to investigate the influence of silicon on date palm under arsenic toxicity by screening antioxidants accumulation, hormonal modulation, and the expression profile of abiotic stress-related genes. The results showed that arsenic exposure (As: 1.0 mM) significantly retarded growth attributes (shoot length, root length, fresh weight), reduced photosynthetic pigments, and raised reactive species levels. Contrarily, exogenous application of Si (Na2SiO3) to date palm roots strongly influenced stress mitigation by limiting the translocation of arsenic into roots and shoots as compared with the arsenic sole application. Furthermore, an enhanced accumulation of polyphenols (48%) and increased antioxidant activities (POD: 50%, PPO: 75%, GSH: 26.1%, CAT: 51%) resulted in a significant decrease in superoxide anion (O2•−: 58%) and lipid peroxidation (MDA: 1.7-fold), in silicon-treated plants, compared with control and arsenic-treated plants. The Si application also reduced the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA: 38%) under normal conditions, and salicylic acid (SA: 52%) and jasmonic acid levels (JA: 62%) under stress conditions as compared with control and arsenic. Interestingly, the genes; zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP) and 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED-1) involved in ABA biosynthesis were upregulated by silicon under arsenic stress. Likewise, Si application also upregulated gene expression of plant plasma membrane ATPase (PMMA-4), aluminum-activated malate transporter (ALMT) responsible for maintaining cellular physiology, stomatal conductance, and short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR) involved in nutrients translocation. Hence, the study demonstrates the remarkable role of silicon in supporting growth and inducing arsenic tolerance by increasing antioxidant activities and endogenous hormones in date palm. The outcomes of our study can be employed in further studies to better understand arsenic tolerance and decode mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taimoor Khan
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman
| | - Saqib Bilal
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (A.L.K.); (A.A.-H.)
| | - Sajjad Asaf
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman
| | - Safiya Salim Alamri
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Division of Plant Biosciences, School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture & Life Science, Kyungpook National University, 80 Dahak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Abdul Latif Khan
- Department of Engineering Technology, University of Houston, Sugar Land, TX 77479, USA
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (A.L.K.); (A.A.-H.)
| | - Ahmed Al-Rawahi
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman
| | - In-Jung Lee
- Division of Plant Biosciences, School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture & Life Science, Kyungpook National University, 80 Dahak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Ahmed Al-Harrasi
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa 616, Oman
- Correspondence: (S.B.); (A.L.K.); (A.A.-H.)
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