Straw Mulch Induced Indoleamines Alleviate Reproductive Depression in Cold Sensitive Hazelnut Cultivars
Climate change is forcing physiological changes, especially in temperate trees, in which the reproduction phase has been affected harshly, eventually resulting in poor performance. Erratic fluctuations during the flowering periods, predominantly in cold-sensitive, yet industry-desired (sourced), haz...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-07-01
|
| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2577 |
| _version_ | 1797590991966830592 |
|---|---|
| author | Murali-Mohan Ayyanath Mukund R. Shukla Yasmine S. Hezema Praveen K. Saxena |
| author_facet | Murali-Mohan Ayyanath Mukund R. Shukla Yasmine S. Hezema Praveen K. Saxena |
| author_sort | Murali-Mohan Ayyanath |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change is forcing physiological changes, especially in temperate trees, in which the reproduction phase has been affected harshly, eventually resulting in poor performance. Erratic fluctuations during the flowering periods, predominantly in cold-sensitive, yet industry-desired (sourced), hazelnut cultivars have been causing at least a 10-fold decline in the nut yield. Indoleamines have been noted to provide protection during such abiotic stress conditions. In this study, we investigated the potential involvement of the indoleamine pathway in countering reproductive depression in cold-sensitive hazelnuts by blanketing the ground with wheat straw mulch. The female flower ratio; titers of tryptophan, serotonin, and melatonin; and indoleamine pathway gene regulation were the endpoints for assessing the effects of straw mulch. In the preceding year, we noted that the occurrence of phenological events through the modulation of indoleamines was necessitated via percolation of snowmelt into the rootzone. Otherwise, reproductive depression was noted, especially in harsh conditions, such as ‘no snow’ or when the rootzone was covered with a plastic sheet to disallow water percolation. When cold-sensitive hazelnut cultivars that were subjected to such deleterious treatments in the preceding years’ experiments were treated with straw mulch, the female flower ratio was unaffected and remained on par with that of the cold-hardy locally adapted cultivars. Tryptophan accumulation improved in the (cold-sensitive) sourced cultivars treated with straw mulch and was available as serotonin to counter the cold stress. Lower titers of melatonin explained the slight improvement in female ratio in the sourced cultivars blanketed with straw mulch. <i>ASMT</i> gene regulation via straw mulch treatment emphasized its role in abiotic stress mitigation. A negative trend was noted when improved flowering was compared to the decreased expression of the <i>ASMT</i> gene. Horticultural changes, such as mulch, should provide mitigating solutions to relieve reproductive depression in cold-sensitive hazelnuts, alongside implications in other horticultural crops. The indoleamine toolkit (cellular markers) developed in this study provides insights into the mechanisms of cold sensitivity (abiotic stress) and plausible solutions, such as exogenous application of indoleamines, to propagate climate resilient plant materials with an enhanced capacity to mitigate abiotic stress conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:31:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6d3bbe4645df4740992bd36b6cb57683 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:31:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-6d3bbe4645df4740992bd36b6cb576832023-11-18T17:19:28ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-07-011213257710.3390/plants12132577Straw Mulch Induced Indoleamines Alleviate Reproductive Depression in Cold Sensitive Hazelnut CultivarsMurali-Mohan Ayyanath0Mukund R. Shukla1Yasmine S. Hezema2Praveen K. Saxena3Department of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaDepartment of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaDepartment of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaDepartment of Plant Agriculture, Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaClimate change is forcing physiological changes, especially in temperate trees, in which the reproduction phase has been affected harshly, eventually resulting in poor performance. Erratic fluctuations during the flowering periods, predominantly in cold-sensitive, yet industry-desired (sourced), hazelnut cultivars have been causing at least a 10-fold decline in the nut yield. Indoleamines have been noted to provide protection during such abiotic stress conditions. In this study, we investigated the potential involvement of the indoleamine pathway in countering reproductive depression in cold-sensitive hazelnuts by blanketing the ground with wheat straw mulch. The female flower ratio; titers of tryptophan, serotonin, and melatonin; and indoleamine pathway gene regulation were the endpoints for assessing the effects of straw mulch. In the preceding year, we noted that the occurrence of phenological events through the modulation of indoleamines was necessitated via percolation of snowmelt into the rootzone. Otherwise, reproductive depression was noted, especially in harsh conditions, such as ‘no snow’ or when the rootzone was covered with a plastic sheet to disallow water percolation. When cold-sensitive hazelnut cultivars that were subjected to such deleterious treatments in the preceding years’ experiments were treated with straw mulch, the female flower ratio was unaffected and remained on par with that of the cold-hardy locally adapted cultivars. Tryptophan accumulation improved in the (cold-sensitive) sourced cultivars treated with straw mulch and was available as serotonin to counter the cold stress. Lower titers of melatonin explained the slight improvement in female ratio in the sourced cultivars blanketed with straw mulch. <i>ASMT</i> gene regulation via straw mulch treatment emphasized its role in abiotic stress mitigation. A negative trend was noted when improved flowering was compared to the decreased expression of the <i>ASMT</i> gene. Horticultural changes, such as mulch, should provide mitigating solutions to relieve reproductive depression in cold-sensitive hazelnuts, alongside implications in other horticultural crops. The indoleamine toolkit (cellular markers) developed in this study provides insights into the mechanisms of cold sensitivity (abiotic stress) and plausible solutions, such as exogenous application of indoleamines, to propagate climate resilient plant materials with an enhanced capacity to mitigate abiotic stress conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2577hazelnutphenologycold stressindoleamine toolkitstraw mulch |
| spellingShingle | Murali-Mohan Ayyanath Mukund R. Shukla Yasmine S. Hezema Praveen K. Saxena Straw Mulch Induced Indoleamines Alleviate Reproductive Depression in Cold Sensitive Hazelnut Cultivars Plants hazelnut phenology cold stress indoleamine toolkit straw mulch |
| title | Straw Mulch Induced Indoleamines Alleviate Reproductive Depression in Cold Sensitive Hazelnut Cultivars |
| title_full | Straw Mulch Induced Indoleamines Alleviate Reproductive Depression in Cold Sensitive Hazelnut Cultivars |
| title_fullStr | Straw Mulch Induced Indoleamines Alleviate Reproductive Depression in Cold Sensitive Hazelnut Cultivars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Straw Mulch Induced Indoleamines Alleviate Reproductive Depression in Cold Sensitive Hazelnut Cultivars |
| title_short | Straw Mulch Induced Indoleamines Alleviate Reproductive Depression in Cold Sensitive Hazelnut Cultivars |
| title_sort | straw mulch induced indoleamines alleviate reproductive depression in cold sensitive hazelnut cultivars |
| topic | hazelnut phenology cold stress indoleamine toolkit straw mulch |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2577 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT muralimohanayyanath strawmulchinducedindoleaminesalleviatereproductivedepressionincoldsensitivehazelnutcultivars AT mukundrshukla strawmulchinducedindoleaminesalleviatereproductivedepressionincoldsensitivehazelnutcultivars AT yasmineshezema strawmulchinducedindoleaminesalleviatereproductivedepressionincoldsensitivehazelnutcultivars AT praveenksaxena strawmulchinducedindoleaminesalleviatereproductivedepressionincoldsensitivehazelnutcultivars |