Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> Ratio as a Critical Marker for Field Evaluation of Saline-Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.)
Current indices of saline-alkaline (SA) tolerance are mainly based on the traditional growth and physiological indices for salinity tolerance and likely affect the accuracy of alfalfa tolerance predictions. We determined whether the inclusion of soil alkalinity-affected indices, particularly Ca<s...
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MDPI AG
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/2/191 |
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| author | Tian-Jiao Wei Chang-Jie Jiang Yang-Yang Jin Guo-Hui Zhang Ming-Ming Wang Zheng-Wei Liang |
| author_facet | Tian-Jiao Wei Chang-Jie Jiang Yang-Yang Jin Guo-Hui Zhang Ming-Ming Wang Zheng-Wei Liang |
| author_sort | Tian-Jiao Wei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Current indices of saline-alkaline (SA) tolerance are mainly based on the traditional growth and physiological indices for salinity tolerance and likely affect the accuracy of alfalfa tolerance predictions. We determined whether the inclusion of soil alkalinity-affected indices, particularly Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, and their ratios to Na<sup>+</sup> in plants, based on the traditional method could improve the prediction accuracy of SA tolerance in alfalfa, determine important indices for SA tolerance, and identify suitable alfalfa cultivars in alkaline salt-affected soils. Fifty alfalfa cultivars were evaluated for their SA tolerance under SA and non-SA field conditions. The SA-tolerance coefficient (SATC) for each investigated index of the alfalfa shoot was calculated as the ratio of SA to non-SA field conditions, and the contribution of SATC under different growth and physiological indices to SA tolerance was quantified based on the inclusion/exclusion of special alkalinity-affected indices. The traditional method, excluding the special alkalinity-affected indices, explained nearly all of the variation in alfalfa SA tolerance, and the most important predictor was the SATC of stem length. The new method, which included these special alkalinity-affected indices, had similar explanatory power but instead identified the SATC of shoot Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> ratio, followed by that of stem length, as key markers for the field evaluation of SA tolerance. Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, and their ratios to Na<sup>+</sup> hold promise for enhancing the robustness of SA-tolerance predictions in alfalfa. These results encourage further investigation into the involvement of Ca<sup>2+</sup> in such predictions in other plant species and soil types under more alkaline salt-affected conditions. |
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| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T00:37:59Z |
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| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-b431c2a6db924aa3987aa606e60e079d2022-12-21T22:10:06ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952020-01-0110219110.3390/agronomy10020191agronomy10020191Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> Ratio as a Critical Marker for Field Evaluation of Saline-Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.)Tian-Jiao Wei0Chang-Jie Jiang1Yang-Yang Jin2Guo-Hui Zhang3Ming-Ming Wang4Zheng-Wei Liang5Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaInstitute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, Kannondai 2–1–2, Tsukuba 305-8642, JapanNortheast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaNortheast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaNortheast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaNortheast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, ChinaCurrent indices of saline-alkaline (SA) tolerance are mainly based on the traditional growth and physiological indices for salinity tolerance and likely affect the accuracy of alfalfa tolerance predictions. We determined whether the inclusion of soil alkalinity-affected indices, particularly Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, and their ratios to Na<sup>+</sup> in plants, based on the traditional method could improve the prediction accuracy of SA tolerance in alfalfa, determine important indices for SA tolerance, and identify suitable alfalfa cultivars in alkaline salt-affected soils. Fifty alfalfa cultivars were evaluated for their SA tolerance under SA and non-SA field conditions. The SA-tolerance coefficient (SATC) for each investigated index of the alfalfa shoot was calculated as the ratio of SA to non-SA field conditions, and the contribution of SATC under different growth and physiological indices to SA tolerance was quantified based on the inclusion/exclusion of special alkalinity-affected indices. The traditional method, excluding the special alkalinity-affected indices, explained nearly all of the variation in alfalfa SA tolerance, and the most important predictor was the SATC of stem length. The new method, which included these special alkalinity-affected indices, had similar explanatory power but instead identified the SATC of shoot Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> ratio, followed by that of stem length, as key markers for the field evaluation of SA tolerance. Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, and their ratios to Na<sup>+</sup> hold promise for enhancing the robustness of SA-tolerance predictions in alfalfa. These results encourage further investigation into the involvement of Ca<sup>2+</sup> in such predictions in other plant species and soil types under more alkaline salt-affected conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/2/191alfalfasaline-alkaline stresssaline-alkaline-tolerance coefficientca<sup>2+</sup>/na<sup>+</sup> ratiostem length |
| spellingShingle | Tian-Jiao Wei Chang-Jie Jiang Yang-Yang Jin Guo-Hui Zhang Ming-Ming Wang Zheng-Wei Liang Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> Ratio as a Critical Marker for Field Evaluation of Saline-Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) Agronomy alfalfa saline-alkaline stress saline-alkaline-tolerance coefficient ca<sup>2+</sup>/na<sup>+</sup> ratio stem length |
| title | Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> Ratio as a Critical Marker for Field Evaluation of Saline-Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) |
| title_full | Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> Ratio as a Critical Marker for Field Evaluation of Saline-Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) |
| title_fullStr | Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> Ratio as a Critical Marker for Field Evaluation of Saline-Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> Ratio as a Critical Marker for Field Evaluation of Saline-Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) |
| title_short | Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Na<sup>+</sup> Ratio as a Critical Marker for Field Evaluation of Saline-Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) |
| title_sort | ca sup 2 sup na sup sup ratio as a critical marker for field evaluation of saline alkaline tolerance in alfalfa i medicago sativa i l |
| topic | alfalfa saline-alkaline stress saline-alkaline-tolerance coefficient ca<sup>2+</sup>/na<sup>+</sup> ratio stem length |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/2/191 |
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