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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2021, Vol. 20 Issue (1): 109-119    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(20)63242-7
Special Issue: 玉米遗传育种合辑Maize Genetics · Breeding · Germplasm Resources
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Metabolic responses to combined water deficit and salt stress in maize primary roots
LI Peng-cheng1, 2*, YANG Xiao-yi1*, WANG Hou-miao1, 2, PAN Ting1, YANG Ji-yuan1, WANG Yun-yun1, XU Yang1, 2, YANG Ze-feng1, 2, 3, XU Chen-wu1, 2, 3 
1 Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Agricultural College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, P.R.China
2 Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, P.R.China
3 Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education/Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, P.R.China
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摘要  

土壤干旱和盐胁迫是植物生长和农业生产力的主要限制因素。主胚根是感知干旱和盐分胁迫信号的第一个器官。研究发现,与对照植株相比,遭受干旱、高盐和复合胁迫的玉米植株的主胚根长度明显变短。利用气相色谱-质谱联用技术测定了玉米主胚根在干旱、高盐和复合胁迫下代谢产物的变化。本研究共测定86种代谢产物,包括29种氨基酸和胺,21种有机酸,4种脂肪酸,6种磷酸,10种多糖,10种多元醇和6种其他代谢物。其中,53个代谢物在不同胁迫下均有显著变化,且大部分代谢物含量呈下降趋势。共计4种和18种代谢物分别对三种处理均有显著的上调和下调。糖和多元醇等可溶性物质的含量增加以维持渗透平衡。TCA循环中柠檬酸、酮戊二酸、延胡索酸、苹果酸的水平显著降低,莽草酸途径中奎宁酸、莽草酸等代谢物含量显著降低。本研究揭示了主胚根在干旱和盐胁迫复合作用下的复杂代谢反应,拓展了我们对玉米根系对非生物耐受性反应机制的理解。




Abstract  
Soil water deficit and salt stress are major limiting factors of plant growth and agricultural productivity.  The primary root is the first organ to perceive the stress signals for drought and salt stress.  In this study, maize plant subjected to drought, salt and combined stresses displayed a significantly reduced primary root length relative to the control plants.  GC-MS was used to determine changes in the metabolites of the primary root of maize in response to salt, drought and combined stresses.  A total of 86 metabolites were measured, including 29 amino acids and amines, 21 organic acids, four fatty acids, six phosphoric acids, 10 sugars, 10 polyols, and six others.  Among these, 53 metabolites with a significant change under different stresses were identified in the primary root, and the content of most metabolites showed down-accumulation.  A total of four and 18 metabolites showed significant up- and down-accumulation to all three treatments, respectively.  The levels of several compatible solutes, including sugars and polyols, were increased to help maintain the osmotic balance.  The levels of metabolites involved in the TCA cycle, including citric acid, ketoglutaric acid, fumaric acid, and malic acid, were reduced in the primary root.  The contents of metabolites in the shikimate pathway, such as quinic acid and shikimic acid, were significantly decreased.  This study reveals the complex metabolic responses of the primary root to combined drought and salt stresses and extends our understanding of the mechanisms involved in root responses to abiotic tolerance in maize.
 
Keywords:  maize       primary root        combination stress        drought        high salt stress        metabolomics  
Received: 25 December 2019   Accepted:
Fund: This work was supported by grants from the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2016YFD0100303), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31972487, 31902101 and 31801028), the Key Technology Research and Development Program of Jiangsu, China (BE2018325), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20180920), and the project funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, China (PAPD).
Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence YANG Ze-feng, E-mail: zfyang@yzu.edu.cn; XU Chen-wu, E-mail: qtls@yzu.edu.cn   
About author:  * These authors contributed equally to this study.

Cite this article: 

LI Peng-cheng, YANG Xiao-yi, WANG Hou-miao, PAN Ting, YANG Ji-yuan, WANG Yun-yun, XU Yang, YANG Ze-feng, XU Chen-wu. 2021. Metabolic responses to combined water deficit and salt stress in maize primary roots. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 20(1): 109-119.

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