Abscisic Acid Priming Creates Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa Seedlings ( Medicago sativa L.)

Tian-Jiao Wei, Ming-Ming Wang, Yang-Yang Jin, Guo-Hui Zhang, Miao Liu, Hao-Yu Yang, Chang-Jie Jiang and Zheng-Wei Liang
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Tian-Jiao Wei: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
Ming-Ming Wang: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
Yang-Yang Jin: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
Guo-Hui Zhang: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
Miao Liu: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
Hao-Yu Yang: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
Chang-Jie Jiang: Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, Kannondai 2-1-2, Tsukuba 305-8642, Japan
Zheng-Wei Liang: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-13

Abstract: Soil alkalization triggers ion toxicity and osmotic and alkaline (high pH) stresses in plants, damaging their growth and productivity. Therefore, we investigated whether priming with abscisic acid (ABA) increases the tolerance of alfalfa seedlings to alkaline stress, and then examined the underlying molecular mechanisms. Alfalfa seedlings were pretreated with ABA (10 μM) for 16 h and then subjected to alkaline stress using a 15 mM Na 2 CO 3 solution (pH 10.87). Compared with the control, ABA pretreatment significantly alleviated leaf damage and improved the fresh weight, water content, and survival rate of alfalfa seedlings under alkaline conditions. Abscisic acid pretreatment reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), maintained higher ratios of K + /Na + , Ca 2+ /Na + , and Mg 2+ /Na + , and increased accumulation of proline. In addition, ABA upregulated the expression of genes involved in proline biosynthesis ( P5CS ) and the sequestration of Na + in vacuoles ( NHX1 and AVP ) under alkaline conditions. Abscisic acid priming increased tolerance to alkaline stress by maintaining homeostasis of ROS and metal ions and upregulating osmoprotection and the expression of stress tolerance-related genes.

Keywords: abscisic acid priming; alkaline stress; reactive oxygen species; ion homeostasis; stress tolerance-related genes; alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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