The Effects of Salt Stress on Germination, Seedling Growth and Biochemical Responses of Tunisian Squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) Germplasm
Salt stress is considered as one of the most common abiotic stresses reducing the productivity and fruit quality of crop plants. The present study was carried out to assess the salt tolerance among 15 local squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) landraces. Different salt (NaCl) concen...
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/6/800 |
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| author | Neji Tarchoun Wassim Saadaoui Najla Mezghani Ourania I. Pavli Hanen Falleh Spyridon A. Petropoulos |
| author_facet | Neji Tarchoun Wassim Saadaoui Najla Mezghani Ourania I. Pavli Hanen Falleh Spyridon A. Petropoulos |
| author_sort | Neji Tarchoun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Salt stress is considered as one of the most common abiotic stresses reducing the productivity and fruit quality of crop plants. The present study was carried out to assess the salt tolerance among 15 local squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) landraces. Different salt (NaCl) concentrations of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM were selected in order to evaluate the response of the study germplasm to salt stress based on 12 agronomic parameters and 3 biochemical traits, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA) and chlorophylls. A varied effect of the salt stress level was observed among the studied landraces based on germination potential, as well as on growth and biochemical parameters at seedling stage. Results showed that all landraces were drastically affected at high stress level with a significant variation in their stress response, indicating the existence of considerable genetic variability. Landraces “746” and “747” were the best performing cultivars across stress levels, whereas “1007”, “1008” and “1009” were the most negatively affected. Based on the tested landrace performance, four landraceswere selected and further evaluated at biochemical level, focusing on the determination of compounds that play a key role in the ability to withstand salt stress. The mean MDA content across landraces was generally increased in stressed plants, as compared to the control treatment; the increase was attributed to a peak in MDA content at specific stress levels. In particular, “746” and “1007” showed the maximum content at 100 mM NaCl, while in landrace “751”, MDA content reached its peak at 300 mM NaCl. In addition, the response of most landraces to salt stress involved an increase in free proline content, with the exception of “746”, with the maximum content being observed either at 200 mM (“748” and “751” landraces) or at 300 mM NaCl, where only “747” expressed the highest content. These findings can be extrapolated into efforts to develop more salt-tolerant squash landraces and exhaust the possibilities of using saline water or soils under changing climate conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:54:32Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:54:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-0aadbcbdae5947d290802a338d3c118b2023-11-30T22:01:17ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-03-0111680010.3390/plants11060800The Effects of Salt Stress on Germination, Seedling Growth and Biochemical Responses of Tunisian Squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) GermplasmNeji Tarchoun0Wassim Saadaoui1Najla Mezghani2Ourania I. Pavli3Hanen Falleh4Spyridon A. Petropoulos5High Agronomic Institute of Chott Mariem, University of Sousse, Sousse 4042, TunisiaHigh Agronomic Institute of Chott Mariem, University of Sousse, Sousse 4042, TunisiaHigh Agronomic Institute of Chott Mariem, University of Sousse, Sousse 4042, TunisiaDepartment of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Fytokou Street, 38446 Volos, GreeceCentre of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, BP 901, Hammam-lif 2050, TunisiaDepartment of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Fytokou Street, 38446 Volos, GreeceSalt stress is considered as one of the most common abiotic stresses reducing the productivity and fruit quality of crop plants. The present study was carried out to assess the salt tolerance among 15 local squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) landraces. Different salt (NaCl) concentrations of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM were selected in order to evaluate the response of the study germplasm to salt stress based on 12 agronomic parameters and 3 biochemical traits, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA) and chlorophylls. A varied effect of the salt stress level was observed among the studied landraces based on germination potential, as well as on growth and biochemical parameters at seedling stage. Results showed that all landraces were drastically affected at high stress level with a significant variation in their stress response, indicating the existence of considerable genetic variability. Landraces “746” and “747” were the best performing cultivars across stress levels, whereas “1007”, “1008” and “1009” were the most negatively affected. Based on the tested landrace performance, four landraceswere selected and further evaluated at biochemical level, focusing on the determination of compounds that play a key role in the ability to withstand salt stress. The mean MDA content across landraces was generally increased in stressed plants, as compared to the control treatment; the increase was attributed to a peak in MDA content at specific stress levels. In particular, “746” and “1007” showed the maximum content at 100 mM NaCl, while in landrace “751”, MDA content reached its peak at 300 mM NaCl. In addition, the response of most landraces to salt stress involved an increase in free proline content, with the exception of “746”, with the maximum content being observed either at 200 mM (“748” and “751” landraces) or at 300 mM NaCl, where only “747” expressed the highest content. These findings can be extrapolated into efforts to develop more salt-tolerant squash landraces and exhaust the possibilities of using saline water or soils under changing climate conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/6/800salinity stressprolineseed germinationMDA<i>Cucurbita</i> sp.landrace |
| spellingShingle | Neji Tarchoun Wassim Saadaoui Najla Mezghani Ourania I. Pavli Hanen Falleh Spyridon A. Petropoulos The Effects of Salt Stress on Germination, Seedling Growth and Biochemical Responses of Tunisian Squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) Germplasm Plants salinity stress proline seed germination MDA <i>Cucurbita</i> sp. landrace |
| title | The Effects of Salt Stress on Germination, Seedling Growth and Biochemical Responses of Tunisian Squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) Germplasm |
| title_full | The Effects of Salt Stress on Germination, Seedling Growth and Biochemical Responses of Tunisian Squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) Germplasm |
| title_fullStr | The Effects of Salt Stress on Germination, Seedling Growth and Biochemical Responses of Tunisian Squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) Germplasm |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effects of Salt Stress on Germination, Seedling Growth and Biochemical Responses of Tunisian Squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) Germplasm |
| title_short | The Effects of Salt Stress on Germination, Seedling Growth and Biochemical Responses of Tunisian Squash (<i>Cucurbita maxima</i> Duchesne) Germplasm |
| title_sort | effects of salt stress on germination seedling growth and biochemical responses of tunisian squash i cucurbita maxima i duchesne germplasm |
| topic | salinity stress proline seed germination MDA <i>Cucurbita</i> sp. landrace |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/6/800 |
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