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Islam W, Zeng F, Ahmed Dar A, Sohail Yousaf M. Dynamics of soil biota and nutrients at varied depths in a Tamarix ramosissima-dominated natural desert ecosystem: Implications for nutrient cycling and desertification management. J Environ Manage 2024; 354:120217. [PMID: 38340666 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The underground community of soil organisms, known as soil biota, plays a critical role in terrestrial ecosystems. Different ecosystems exhibit varied responses of soil organisms to soil physical and chemical properties (SPCPs). However, our understanding of how soil biota react to different soil depths in naturally established population of salinity tolerant Tamarix ramosissima in desert ecosystems, remains limited. To address this, we employed High-Throughput Illumina HiSeq Sequencing to examine the population dynamics of soil bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, and metazoa at six different soil depths (0-100 cm) in the naturally occurring T. ramosissima dominant zone within the Taklimakan desert of China. Our observations reveal that the alpha diversity of bacteria, fungi, metazoa, and protists displayed a linear decrease with the increase of soil depth, whereas archaea exhibited an inverse pattern. The beta diversity of soil biota, particularly metazoa, bacteria, and protists, demonstrated noteworthy associations with soil depths through Non-Metric Dimensional Scaling analysis. Among the most abundant classes of soil organisms, we observed Actinobacteria, Sordariomycetes, Halobacteria, Spirotrichea, and Nematoda for bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, and metazoa, respectively. Additionally, we identified associations between the vertical distribution of dominant biotic communities and SPCPs. Bacterial changes were mainly influenced by total potassium, available phosphorus (AP), and soil water content (SWC), while fungi were impacted by nitrate (NO3-) and available potassium (AK). Archaea showed correlations with total carbon (TC) and AK thus suggesting their role in methanogenesis and methane oxidation, protists with AP and SWC, and metazoa with AP and pH. These correlations underscore potential connections to nutrient cycling and the production and consumption of greenhouse gases (GhGs). This insight establishes a solid foundation for devising strategies to mitigate nutrient cycling and GHG emissions in desert soils, thereby playing a pivotal role in the advancement of comprehensive approaches to sustainable desert ecosystem management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqar Islam
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Afzal Ahmed Dar
- Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. Montreal, Quebec H3G1M8, Canada
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Zhang Z, Chai X, Zhang B, Lu Y, Gao Y, Tariq A, Li X, Zeng F. Potential role of root-associated bacterial communities in adjustments of desert plant physiology to osmotic stress. Plant Physiol Biochem 2023; 204:108124. [PMID: 37897889 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.108124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Plants possess the ability to adapt to osmotic stress by adjusting their physiology and morphology and by cooperating with their root-associated (rhizosphere and endosphere) microbial communities. However, the coordination of host self-regulation with root-associated microorganisms at the community level, especially for desert plants, remains unclear. This study investigated the morphophysiological responses of seedlings from the desert plant Alhagi sparsifolia Shap to osmotic stress, as well as the relationships between these adaptations and their root-associated bacterial communities. The results indicated that osmotic stress contributed to a reduction in height and increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA). In response, A. sparsifolia exhibited a series of morphophysiological adjustments, including increased ratio of root to shoot biomass (R/S) and the number of root tip, enhanced vitality, high levels of peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione (GSH), as well as osmolytes (proline, soluble protein, and soluble sugar) and modification in phytohormones (abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA)). Additionally, osmotic stress resulted in alterations in the compositions and co-occurrence patterns of root-associated bacterial communities, but not α-diversity (Chao1). Specifically, the rhizosphere Actinobacteria phylum was significantly increased by osmotic stress. These shifts in root-associated bacterial communities were significantly correlated with the host's adaptation to osmotic stress. Overall, the findings revealed that osmotic stress, in addition to its impacts on plant physiology, resulted in a restructuring of root-associated microbial communities and suggested that the concomitant adjustment in plant microbiota may potentially contribute to the survival of desert plants under extreme environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China.
| | - Xutian Chai
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
| | - Yan Lu
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
| | - Yanju Gao
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
| | - Xiangyi Li
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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He Y, Yu M, Ding G, Zhang F. Precipitation pattern changed the content of non-structural carbohydrates components in different organs of Artemisia ordosica. BMC Plant Biol 2023; 23:505. [PMID: 37864141 PMCID: PMC10589927 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04512-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) play a significant role in plant growth and defense and are an important component of carbon cycling in desert ecosystems. However, regarding global change scenarios, it remains unclear how NSCs in desert plants respond to changing precipitation patterns. [Methods] Three precipitation levels (natural precipitation, a 30% reduction in precipitation, and a 30% increase in precipitation) and two precipitation intervals levels (5 and 15 d) were simulated to study NSC (soluble sugar and starch) responses in the dominant shrub Artemisia ordosica. RESULTS Precipitation level and interval interact to affect the NSC (both soluble sugar and starch components) content of A. ordosica. The effect of precipitation on NSC content and its components depended on extended precipitation interval. With lower precipitation and extended interval, soluble sugar content in roots increased and starch content decreased, indicating that A. ordosica adapts to external environmental changes by hydrolyzing root starch into soluble sugars. At 5 d interval, lower precipitation increased the NSC content of stems and especially roots. CONCLUSIONS A. ordosica follows the "preferential allocation principle" to preferentially transport NSC to growing organs, which is an adaptive strategy to maintain a healthy physiological metabolism under drought conditions. The findings help understand the adaptation and survival mechanisms of desert vegetation under the changing precipitation patterns and are important in exploring the impact of carbon cycling in desert systems under global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying He
- College of Forestry and Prataculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Minghan Yu
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Guodong Ding
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Fuchong Zhang
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
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Pecio Ł, Kozachok S, Saber FR, Garcia-Marti M, El-Amier Y, Mahrous EA, Świątek Ł, Boguszewska A, Skiba A, Elosaily AH, Skalicka-Woźniak K, Simal-Gandara J. Metabolic profiling of Ochradenus baccatus Delile. utilizing UHPLC-HRESIMS in relation to the in vitro biological investigations. Food Chem 2023; 412:135587. [PMID: 36739726 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.135587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Ochradenus baccatus Delile (Resedaceae) is a desert plant with edible fruits native to the Middle East. Few investigators have reported antibacterial, antiparasitic and anti-cancer activities of the plant. Herein we evaluated the cytotoxic activity of O. baccatus using four cell lines and a zebrafish embryo model. Additionally, liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy was performed to characterize the extract's main constituents. The highest cytotoxicity was observed against human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), with CC50 of 39.1 µg/mL and a selectivity index (SI) of 7.23 (p < 0.01). Metabolic analysis of the extract resulted in the annotation of 57 metabolites, including fatty acids, flavonoids, glucosinolates, nitrile glycosides, in addition to organic acids. The extract showed an abundance of hydroxylated fatty acids (16 peaks). Further, 3 nitrile glycosides have been identified for the first time in Ochradenus sp., in addition to 2 glucosinolates. These identified phytochemicals may partially explain the cytotoxic activity of the extract. We propose O. baccatus as a possible safe food source for further utilization to partially contribute to the increasing food demand specially in Saharan countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Pecio
- Department of Biochemistry and Crop Quality, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation-State Research Institute, Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Puławy, Poland; Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin 20-093, Poland.
| | - Solomiia Kozachok
- Department of Biochemistry and Crop Quality, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation-State Research Institute, Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Puławy, Poland.
| | - Fatema R Saber
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, 11562 Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Maria Garcia-Marti
- Universidade de Vigo, Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical Chemistry and Food Science Department, Faculty of Science, E32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - Yasser El-Amier
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
| | - Engy A Mahrous
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, 11562 Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Łukasz Świątek
- Department of Virology with SARS Laboratory, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.
| | | | - Adrianna Skiba
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin 20-093, Poland.
| | - Ahmed H Elosaily
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahram Canadian University, Giza 12573, Egypt
| | | | - Jesus Simal-Gandara
- Universidade de Vigo, Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Analytical Chemistry and Food Science Department, Faculty of Science, E32004 Ourense, Spain.
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5
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Zhou Z, Su P, Wu X, Zhang H, Shi R, Yang J. Leaf and canopy photosynthesis of four desert plants: considering different photosynthetic organs. Photosynth Res 2022; 151:265-277. [PMID: 34780003 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-021-00884-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Desert plants evolve different photosynthetic organs to adapt to the extreme environment. We studied the leaf and canopy gas exchange, chlorophyll content, fluorescence parameters, and anatomical structure of different photosynthetic organs (leaf and assimilating stem) on four desert plants (Nitraria sphaerocarpa, Caragana korshinskii, Haloxylon ammodendron, and Calligonum mongolicum). The results showed a higher net photosynthetic rate (PN) in the assimilating stems of H. ammodendron and C. mongolicum, which also had a higher light saturation point and a lower light compensation point than leaves (N. sphaerocarpa and C. korshinskii), suggesting more efficient solar energy utilization in the former. Within each species, canopy apparent photosynthetic rate (CAP) was significantly lower than PN, and the daily average CAP of the assimilating stems was significantly higher than leaves. These findings indicated that the photosynthetic response of desert plants was specific to photosynthetic organs. We concluded that the assimilating stem was a superior adaption for desert plants to survive the arid environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijuan Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Peixi Su
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiukun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resource, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Haina Zhang
- School of Water Resources and Ecological Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Technology, Nanchang, 330099, China
| | - Rui Shi
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Jianping Yang
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
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Liu YP, Zhang Y, Liu F, Liu T, Chen JY, Fu G, Zheng CY, Su DD, Wang YN, Zhou HK, Su X, Aj H, Wang XM. Establishment of reference (housekeeping) genes via quantitative real-time PCR for investigation of the genomic basis of abiotic stress resistance in Psammochloa villosa (Poaceae). J Plant Physiol 2022; 268:153575. [PMID: 34837885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Psammochloa villosa is a desert plant growing in Northwest China with considerable resistance to abiotic stress, including drought, cold, and salt. To facilitate future studies of stress resistance in Psammochloa villosa, we sought to establish a suite of reference (or housekeeping) genes for utilization within future gene expression studies. Specifically, we selected nine candidate genes based on prior studies and new transcriptomic data for P. villosa, and we evaluated their expression stability in three different tissues of P. villosa under different treatments simulating abiotic stress conditions using four different bioinformatics assessments. Our results showed that TIP41 (TIP41-like family protein) was the most stable reference gene in drought- and salt-stressed leaves and salt-stressed stems, ELF-1α (elongation factor 1-α) was the most stable in cold-stressed leaves and drought- and salt-stressed roots, ACT (actin) was the most stable in drought-stressed stems, TUA (α-tubulin) was the most stable in cold-stressed stems, and 18S rRNA (18S ribosomal RNA) was the most stable in cold-stressed roots. Additionally, we tested the utility of these candidate reference genes to detect the expression pattern of P5CS (Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase), which is a drought-related gene. This study is the first report on selecting and validating reference genes of P. villosa under various stress conditions and will benefit future investigations of the genomic mechanisms of stress resistance in this ecologically important species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ping Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China; Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810016, China; Key Laboratory of Medicinal Animal and Plant Resources of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Qinghai Province, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China.
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Feng Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Tao Liu
- School of Geography, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China; Key Laboratory of Land Surface Processes and Ecological Conservation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, The Ministry of Education, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Jin Yuan Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Gui Fu
- School of Geography, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Chang Yuan Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Dan Dan Su
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Ya Nan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Hua Kun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Cold Regions Restoration Ecology in Qinghai Province, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Xu Su
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China; Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810016, China; Key Laboratory of Medicinal Animal and Plant Resources of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Qinghai Province, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China; Key Laboratory of Land Surface Processes and Ecological Conservation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, The Ministry of Education, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
| | - Harris Aj
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Xiu Mei Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China
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Trabelcy B, Chinkov N, Samuni-Blank M, Merav M, Izhaki I, Carmeli S, Gerchman Y. Investigation of glucosinolates in the desert plant Ochradenus baccatus (Brassicales: Resedaceae). Unveiling glucoochradenin, a new arabinosylated glucosinolate. Phytochemistry 2021; 187:112760. [PMID: 33839520 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2021.112760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Here we describe the structure elucidation and quantification of six glucosinolates (GSLs) from the roots of the desert plant Ochradenus baccatus, Delile 1813 (family Resedaceae; order Brassicales). The structure elucidation was established on the corresponding enzymatically desulfated derivatives of the native GSLs of the plant. Among these GSLs we describe the previously undescribed 2″-O-(α-L-arabinopyranosyloxy)benzylglucosinolate (1a), for which we propose the name glucoochradenin. The other five glucosinolates (2a-6a) were (2S)-2-hydroxy-2-phenylethylglucosinolate (2a; glucobarbarin), 2″-O-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzylglucosinolate (3a), benzylglucosinolate (4a; glucotropaeolin), indol-3-ylmethylglucosinolate (5a; glucobrassicin) and phenethylglucosinolate (6a; gluconasturtiin), all elucidated as their desulfo-derivatives, 2b-6b respectively). Structures were elucidated by MS and 1D and 2D-NMR techniques, the identity of the arabinose verified by ion chromatography, and the absolute configuration of the sugar units determined by hydrolysis, coupling to cysteine methyl-ester and phenyl isothiocyanate followed by HPLC-MS analysis of the resulted diastereomers. Response factors were generated for desulfo-2″-O-(α-L-arabinopyranosyloxy)benzylglucosinolate and for desulfo-2″-O-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzylglucosinolate and all six GSLs were quantified, indicating that the root of O. baccatus is rich in GSLs (Avg. 61.3 ± 10.0 μmol/g DW and up to 337.2 μmol/g DW).
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Affiliation(s)
- Beny Trabelcy
- Department of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Nicka Chinkov
- Department of Biology and Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Campus Oranim, Kiryat Tivon, 36006, Israel
| | - Michal Samuni-Blank
- Department of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Mayan Merav
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Chemistry and Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University, 69978, Israel
| | - Ido Izhaki
- Department of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Shmuel Carmeli
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Chemistry and Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University, 69978, Israel
| | - Yoram Gerchman
- Department of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel; Oranim College, Campus Oranim, Kiryat Tivon, 36006, Israel.
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Hill AJ, Dawson TE, Dody A, Rachmilevitch S. Dew water-uptake pathways in Negev desert plants: a study using stable isotope tracers. Oecologia 2021; 196:353-361. [PMID: 34008141 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04940-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Dew is an important water resource for plants in most deserts. The mechanism that allows desert plants to use dew water was studied using an isotopic water tracer approach. Most plants use water directly from the soil; the roots transfer the water to the rest of the plant, where it is required for all metabolic functions. However, many plants can also take up water into their leaves and stems. Examining the dew water uptake pathways in desert plants can lend insight on another all water-use pathways examination. We determined where and how dew water enters plants in the water limited Negev desert. Highly depleted isotopic water was sprayed on three different dominant plant species of the Negev desert-Artemesia sieberi, Salsola inermis and Haloxylon scoparium-and its entry into the plant was followed. Water was sprayed onto the soil only, or on the leaves/stems only (with soil covered to prevent water entry via root uptake). Thereafter, the isotopic composition of water in the roots and stems were measured at various time points. The results show that each plant species used the dew water to a different extent, and we obtained evidence of foliar uptake capacity of dew water that varied depending on the microenvironmental conditions. A. sieberi took up the greatest amount of dew water through both stems and roots, S. inermis took up dew water mainly from the roots, and H. scoparium showed the least dew capture overall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber J Hill
- The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Sede Boqer Campus Midreshet Ben Gurion, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84990, Beersheba, Israel.
| | - Todd E Dawson
- Center for Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry and the Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Avraham Dody
- Geography and Environmental Developing Department, Ben Gurion University, BeerSheba, Israel
| | - Shimon Rachmilevitch
- The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Sede Boqer Campus Midreshet Ben Gurion, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 84990, Beersheba, Israel
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Hosseyni Moghaddam MS, Safaie N, Soltani J, Hagh-Doust N. Desert-adapted fungal endophytes induce salinity and drought stress resistance in model crops. Plant Physiol Biochem 2021; 160:225-238. [PMID: 33517220 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stresses are among the most damaging and ever-increasing threats to crop production worldwide. Utilizing extreme-habitat-adapted symbiotic microorganisms is a well-known strategy to mitigate the destructive effects of abiotic stresses on agricultural products. Here, we show the effects of the inoculation of halotolerant endophytic fungi recovered from desert plants on drought and salinity stress tolerance in two model agricultural plants A Periconia and two Neocamarosporium species were selected for this study after an in vitro halotolerant assay. Then, a random block design with three factors including fungi, salinity, and drought treatments was used to investigate the ability of these endophytes to induce stress resistance in tomato and cucumber plants. Physiological markers including proline content and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase enzymes; as well as growth parameters and chlorophyll contents were assessed in all model plants. Fungal symbiosis increased chlorophyll concentration and plant growth, under all levels of salinity and drought stress. In model plants associated with P. macrospinosa significant increase in proline content and antioxidant enzymatic activities was observed under all levels of the salinity and drought stresses compared to the endophyte-free plants, while plants associated with the two Neocamarosporium species, indicated significant increasing proline content and antioxidant enzymatic activities only in high levels of the salinity and drought stresses. Our findings provide novel insights into the eco-physiological mechanisms of halotolerant fungal endophyte-mediated drought and salinity stress tolerance in cucumber and tomato plants, which signify the prospective applications of arid and saline habitat adapted endophytes in agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Naser Safaie
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Jalal Soltani
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Niloufar Hagh-Doust
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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10
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Wang Y, Li X, Zhang C, Wu X, Du E, Wu H, Yang X, Wang P, Bai Y, Wu Y, Huang Y. Responses of soil respiration to rainfall addition in a desert ecosystem: Linking physiological activities and rainfall pattern. Sci Total Environ 2019; 650:3007-3016. [PMID: 30373077 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The tight linkage between photosynthesis (An) and soil respiration (Rs) has been verified in many terrestrial ecosystems. However, it remains unclear whether this linkage occurs in desert ecosystems, where water is considered an important trigger of carbon cycling. A field experiment was performed under seven simulated rainfall amounts (0, 3, 5, 10, 15, 25, and 40 mm) with two co-existing desert plants (Reaumuria soongorica and Nitraria sphaerocarpa) in June (early growing season, EGS) and August (middle growing season, MGS) in 2016. An, Rs, predawn water potential (Ψpd), soil temperature (Ts) and soil moisture (Swc) were measured for each treatment or control plot for 3 weeks. Our objective was to examine the effects of rainfall pattern on Rs and physiological responses of the two plants and the relationships between Rs and biotic and abiotic factors. No obvious variations in Ψpd or An were found under small rainfall events. However, when the rainfall amount exceeded 10 mm, both plants responded strongly, and the response patterns of Rs showed trends similar to those of An, which varied between species and seasons. Moreover, rain additions of 3-40 mm significantly increased Rs, and the relative changes in Rs (ΔRs) of both species were much larger in the EGS than in the MGS. Importantly, abiotic factors may have controlled the variations in Rs under small rain events while An played a more important role in regulating the variations in Rs when the rainfall amount exceeded 10 mm for both species, suggest that the rainfall pattern-driven changes in Rs composition interact with physiological activity and abiotic factors to regulate the response of Rs to rainfall variability in desert ecosystems. Thus, climate change in the coming decades may lead to carbon sequestration by desert plants, which may cause desert ecosystems to act as carbon sinks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Cicheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Xiuchen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Enzai Du
- School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Huawu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Xiaofan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Pei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Yan Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Yinan Wu
- Environmental Development Centre of Ministry of Environmental Protection, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Yongmei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology (ESPRE), Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
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11
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Drack JME, Vázquez DP. Morphological response of a cactus to cement dust pollution. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2018; 148:571-577. [PMID: 29127819 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.10.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Cement dust from cement plants around the world has multiple negative effects on organisms and their environment. Cement's effects come from its strongly alkaline nature and high content of heavy metals. Previous studies on plants have documented that cement dust deposition can influence plant vegetative growth, the lipid and ionic composition of tissues, and foliar temperature. Here we evaluate the effects of cement dust coming from a plant in western Argentina on the morphology of the cactus Tephrocactus aoracanthus. In sites located at 0.15km, 2km and 6km from the cement plant, we recorded five morphological attributes of the cactus: length and number of spines, cladode (stem) diameter, and fresh and dry weight. We also transplanted plants in situ to evaluate the effect of distance from the cement plant. In addition, we set an experiment spreading cement dust weekly on the aerial and ground parts of the cactus. Results of our field observational and experimental studies indicate that cement dust deposition on aerial parts of the plant leads to increased spine length, number of spines, and wet and dry weights of cladodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel E Drack
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Aridas, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
| | - Diego P Vázquez
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Aridas, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina; Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, Germany.
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12
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Al-Obaidi JR, Halabi MF, AlKhalifah NS, Asanar S, Al-Soqeer AA, Attia MF. A review on plant importance, biotechnological aspects, and cultivation challenges of jojoba plant. Biol Res 2017; 50:25. [PMID: 28838321 PMCID: PMC5571488 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-017-0131-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Jojoba is considered a promising oil crop and is cultivated for diverse purposes in many countries. The jojoba seed produces unique high-quality oil with a wide range of applications such as medical and industrial-related products. The plant also has potential value in combatting desertification and land degradation in dry and semi-dry areas. Although the plant is known for its high-temperature and high-salinity tolerance growth ability, issues such as its male-biased ratio, relatively late flowering and seed production time hamper the cultivation of this plant. The development of efficient biotechnological platforms for better cultivation and an improved production cycle is a necessity for farmers cultivating the plant. In the last 20 years, many efforts have been made for in vitro cultivation of jojoba by applying different molecular biology techniques. However, there is a lot of work to be done in order to reach satisfactory results that help to overcome cultivation problems. This review presents a historical overview, the medical and industrial importance of the jojoba plant, agronomy aspects and nutrient requirements for the plant's cultivation, and the role of recent biotechnology and molecular biology findings in jojoba research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jameel R. Al-Obaidi
- Agro-Biotechnology Institute Malaysia (ABI), c/o MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
| | - Mohammed Farouq Halabi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Art, Taibah University, Al-Ula, 43522 Saudi Arabia
| | - Nasser S. AlKhalifah
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), P.O. Box 6086, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shanavaskhan Asanar
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), P.O. Box 6086, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahman A. Al-Soqeer
- Department of Plant Production and Protection, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452 Saudi Arabia
| | - M. F. Attia
- Soil Fertility and Microbiology Department, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
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13
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Bär Lamas MI, Carrera AL, Bertiller MB. Meaningful traits for grouping plant species across arid ecosystems. J Plant Res 2016; 129:449-461. [PMID: 26897637 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-016-0803-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Grouping species may provide some degree of simplification to understand the ecological function of plants on key ecosystem processes. We asked whether groups of plant species based on morpho-chemical traits associated with plant persistence and stress/disturbance resistance reflect dominant plant growth forms in arid ecosystems. We selected twelve sites across an aridity gradient in northern Patagonia. At each site, we identified modal size plants of each dominant species and assessed specific leaf area (SLA), plant height, seed mass, N and soluble phenol concentration in green and senesced leaves at each plant. Plant species were grouped according with plant growth forms (perennial grasses, evergreen shrubs and deciduous shrubs) and plant morphological and/or chemical traits using cluster analysis. We calculated mean values of each plant trait for each species group and plant growth form. Plant growth forms significantly differed among them in most of the morpho-chemical traits. Evergreen shrubs were tall plants with the highest seed mass and soluble phenols in leaves, deciduous shrubs were also tall plants with high SLA and the highest N in leaves, and perennial grasses were short plants with high SLA and low concentration of N and soluble phenols in leaves. Grouping species by the combination of morpho-chemical traits yielded 4 groups in which species from one growth form prevailed. These species groups differed in soluble phenol concentration in senesced leaves and plant height. These traits were highly correlated. We concluded that (1) plant height is a relevant synthetic variable, (2) growth forms adequately summarize ecological strategies of species in arid ecosystems, and (3) the inclusion of plant morphological and chemical traits related to defenses against environmental stresses and herbivory enhanced the potential of species grouping, particularly within shrubby growth forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Ivonne Bär Lamas
- Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (CENPAT-CONICET), Boulevard Brown 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
| | - A L Carrera
- Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (CENPAT-CONICET), Boulevard Brown 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Boulevard Brown 3700, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - M B Bertiller
- Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (CENPAT-CONICET), Boulevard Brown 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Boulevard Brown 3700, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
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14
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Salama HMH, Al Watban AA, Al-Fughom AT. Effect of ultraviolet radiation on chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein and proline contents of some annual desert plants. Saudi J Biol Sci 2010; 18:79-86. [PMID: 23961107 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2010.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2010] [Revised: 10/03/2010] [Accepted: 10/03/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigation was carried out to find whether enhanced ultraviolet radiation influences the Malva parviflora L., Plantago major L., Rumex vesicarius L. and Sismbrium erysimoids Desf. of some annual desert plants. The seeds were grown in plastic pots equally filled with a pre-sieved normal sandy soil for 1 month. The planted pots from each species were randomly divided into equal groups (three groups). Plants of the first group exposed to white-light tubes (400-700 nm) 60 w and UV (365 nm) 8 w tubes. The second group was exposed to white-light tubes (400-700 nm) 60 w and UV (302 nm) 8 w tubes. The third group was exposed to white-light tubes (400-700 nm) 60 w and UV (254 nm) 8 w tubes, respectively, for six days. The results indicated that the chlorophyll contents were affected by enhanced UV radiation. The chlorophyll a, b, and total contents were decreased compared with the control values and reduced with the enhanced UV radiation, but the carotenoid was increased compared with the control and also reduced with the enhanced UV radiation. So, the contents of chlorophylls varied considerably. M. parviflora showed the highest constitutive levels of accumulated chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll (0.463, 0.307 and 0.774 mg g(-1) f w) among the investigated plant species. P. major showed the lowest constitutive levels of the chloroplast pigments, 0.0036, 0.0038 and 0.0075 mg g(-1) f w for chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll at UV-365 nm, respectively. The protein content was decreased significantly in both root and shoot systems compared with the control values but, it was increased with increasing wave lengths of UV-radiation of all tested plants. R. vesicarius showed the highest protein contents among the investigated plants; its content was 3.8 mg g(-1) f w at UV-365 nm in shoot system. On the other hand, decreasing ultraviolet wave length induced a highly significant increase in the level of proline in both root and shoot of all tested plants. From the results obtained, it is suggested that proline can protect cells against damage induced by ultraviolet radiation. Statistically, the variations of the studied metabolic activities were significant due to UV radiation treatment in shoot and root system of all investigated plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hediat M H Salama
- King Saud University, Women Students-Medical Studies & Sciences Sections, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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15
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Franco AC, Nobel PS. Influences of root distribution and growth on predicted water uptake and interspecific competition. Oecologia 1990; 82:151-157. [PMID: 28312658 DOI: 10.1007/bf00323528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/1989] [Accepted: 09/20/1989] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Root distribution and growth measured in the field were incorporated into a water uptake model for the CAM succulent Agave deserti and its nurse plant Hilaria rigida, a common desert bunchgrass. Agave deserti responds to the infrequent rainfalls of the Sonoran Desert by extending its existing established roots and by producing new roots. Most of such root growth was completed within one month after soil rewetting, total root length of A. deserti increasing by 84% for a seedling and by 58% for a mediumsized plant in the summer. Root growth in the winter with its lower soil temperatures was approximately half as much as in the summer. For a 15-year period, predicted annual root growth of A. deserti varied more than 18-fold because of annual variations in rainfall amount and pattern as well as seasonal variation in soil temperature. Predicted annual water uptake varied 47-fold over the same period. The nurse plant, which is crucial for establishment of A. deserti seedlings, reduced seedling water uptake by 38% during an average rainfall year. Lowering the location of the root system of a medium-sized A. deserti by 0.24 m reduced its simulated annual water uptake by about 25%, reflecting the importance of shallow roots for this desert succulent. Lowering the root system of a medium-sized H. rigida by 0.28 m increased the simulated annual water uptake of an associated A. deserti seedling by 17%, further indicating the influence of root overlap on competition for water.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Franco
- Department of Biology and Laboratory of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of California, 90024, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - P S Nobel
- Department of Biology and Laboratory of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of California, 90024, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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