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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2025, Vol. 24 Issue (2): 497-516    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.12.017
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Brassinosteroids alleviate wheat floret degeneration under low nitrogen stress by promoting the redistribution of sucrose from stems to spikes

Zimeng Liang1, Xidan Cao1, Rong Gao1, Nian Guo1, Yangyang Tang1, Vinay Nangia2, Yang Liu1#

1 College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China

2 International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Rabat 999055, Morocco

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摘要  

权衡氮肥施用对产量和环境的影响是小麦生产面临的一个重要问题。可孕小花数的减少是低施氮量下小麦产量下降的主要原因之一。前人研究发现,油菜素甾醇参与调控了水稻颖花退化对施氮量的响应。然而,油菜素甾醇是否能够调控小麦小花发育,其机制如何,目前尚不清楚。因此,本研究设计了不同施氮量试验和外源喷施试验,主要研究了低氮下油菜素甾醇对小麦小花发育的影响及其机制。研究结果表明,随着施氮量的减少,小麦幼穗中内源油菜素甾醇类激素含量显著下降,叶片光合作用受阻,幼穗中总碳、可溶性糖和淀粉含量下降,这导致可孕小花数的显著降低。在低氮胁迫下,外源喷施24-表油菜素内酯促进了叶片光合作用,刺激了茎中果聚糖的水解以及幼穗对蔗糖的利用和储存,将更多的碳水化合物分配到穗中,从而增加了可孕小花的数量。因此,本研究认为,低氮下油菜素甾醇参与调控了小麦小花发育,在低氮胁迫下,叶面喷施24-表油菜素内酯通过促进碳水化合物从茎向穗的分配,抑制了小麦小花的退化。



Abstract  

The trade-off between yield and environmental effects caused by nitrogen fertilizer application is an important issue in wheat production.  A reduction in fertile florets is one of the main reasons for the lower yields under low nitrogen application rates.  Brassinosteroids (BRs) have been found to play a role in nitrogen-induced rice spikelet degeneration.  However, whether BRs play a role in wheat floret development and the mechanisms involved are not clear.  Therefore, a nitrogen gradient experiment and exogenous spraying experiment were conducted to investigate the role and mechanism of BRs in wheat floret development under low nitrogen stress.  The results showed that as the nitrogen application decreased, the endogenous BRs content of the spikes decreased, photosynthesis weakened, and total carbon, soluble sugar and starch in the spikes decreased, leading to a reduction in the number of fertile florets.  Under low nitrogen stress, exogenous spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promoted photosynthesis, and stimulated stem fructan hydrolysis and the utilization and storage of sucrose in spikes, which directed more carbohydrates to the spikes and increased the number of fertile florets.  In conclusion, BRs mediate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on wheat floret development, and under low nitrogen stress, foliar spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promotes the flow of carbohydrates from the stem to the spikes, alleviating wheat floret degeneration.

Keywords:  brassinosteroids       fertile florets        nitrogen application rate        sucrose metabolism        wheat  
Received: 25 July 2023   Accepted: 08 November 2023
Fund: This research was supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi, China (2021NY-083) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31871567).
About author:  #Correspondence LIU Yang, E-mail: liuyang0328@126.com, yangl@nwafu.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Zimeng Liang, Xidan Cao, Rong Gao, Nian Guo, Yangyang Tang, Vinay Nangia, Yang Liu. 2025. Brassinosteroids alleviate wheat floret degeneration under low nitrogen stress by promoting the redistribution of sucrose from stems to spikes. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 24(2): 497-516.

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