Exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean.

Understanding the relationship between exogenous melatonin and water deficit stress is crucial for achieving high yields and alleviating the effects of water deficit stress on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) plants in agriculture. This study investigated the effects of exogenous melatonin on soyb...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mingcong Zhang, Songyu He, Yingce Zhan, Bin Qin, Xijun Jin, Mengxue Wang, Yuxian Zhang, Guohua Hu, Zhanlin Teng, Yaokun Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226542
_version_ 1818926942847500288
author Mingcong Zhang
Songyu He
Yingce Zhan
Bin Qin
Xijun Jin
Mengxue Wang
Yuxian Zhang
Guohua Hu
Zhanlin Teng
Yaokun Wu
author_facet Mingcong Zhang
Songyu He
Yingce Zhan
Bin Qin
Xijun Jin
Mengxue Wang
Yuxian Zhang
Guohua Hu
Zhanlin Teng
Yaokun Wu
author_sort Mingcong Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Understanding the relationship between exogenous melatonin and water deficit stress is crucial for achieving high yields and alleviating the effects of water deficit stress on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) plants in agriculture. This study investigated the effects of exogenous melatonin on soybean photosynthetic capacity under water deficit stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000. We conducted a potting experiment in 2018 using the soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) cultivar Suinong 26. We identified the impacts of a concentration of PEG 6000 simulating drought (15%, w/v) and an appropriate melatonin concentration (100 μmol/L) on the growth of soybean seedlings and flowering stages in a preliminary test. We applied exogenous melatonin by foliar spraying and root application to determine the effects on leaf photosynthesis during water deficit stress. Our results indicated that 15% PEG 6000 had an obvious inhibitory effect on the growth of soybean seedlings and flowering stages, causing oxidative stress and damage due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) (H2O2 and O2·-) accumulation and potentially reducing air exchange parameters and photosystem II (PSII) efficiency. The application of exogenous melatonin significantly relieved the inhibitory effects of PEG 6000 stress on seedlings and flowering growth, and gas exchange parameters, potentially improved PSII efficiency, improved the leaf area index (LAI) and the accumulation of dry matter, slowed down oxidative stress and damage to leaves by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT), reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), and ultimately improved soybean yield. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that application of exogenous melatonin at the seedlings and flowering stages of soybean is effective in alleviating plant damage caused by water deficit stress and improving the drought resistance of soybean plants. In addition, the results showed that application of exogenous melatonin by root is superior to foliar spraying.
first_indexed 2024-12-20T03:05:08Z
format Article
id doaj.art-c2c9695908d2418d9e2a6a9e5fdf2b15
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-20T03:05:08Z
publishDate 2019-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-c2c9695908d2418d9e2a6a9e5fdf2b152022-12-21T19:55:37ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-011412e022654210.1371/journal.pone.0226542Exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean.Mingcong ZhangSongyu HeYingce ZhanBin QinXijun JinMengxue WangYuxian ZhangGuohua HuZhanlin TengYaokun WuUnderstanding the relationship between exogenous melatonin and water deficit stress is crucial for achieving high yields and alleviating the effects of water deficit stress on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) plants in agriculture. This study investigated the effects of exogenous melatonin on soybean photosynthetic capacity under water deficit stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000. We conducted a potting experiment in 2018 using the soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) cultivar Suinong 26. We identified the impacts of a concentration of PEG 6000 simulating drought (15%, w/v) and an appropriate melatonin concentration (100 μmol/L) on the growth of soybean seedlings and flowering stages in a preliminary test. We applied exogenous melatonin by foliar spraying and root application to determine the effects on leaf photosynthesis during water deficit stress. Our results indicated that 15% PEG 6000 had an obvious inhibitory effect on the growth of soybean seedlings and flowering stages, causing oxidative stress and damage due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) (H2O2 and O2·-) accumulation and potentially reducing air exchange parameters and photosystem II (PSII) efficiency. The application of exogenous melatonin significantly relieved the inhibitory effects of PEG 6000 stress on seedlings and flowering growth, and gas exchange parameters, potentially improved PSII efficiency, improved the leaf area index (LAI) and the accumulation of dry matter, slowed down oxidative stress and damage to leaves by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT), reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), and ultimately improved soybean yield. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that application of exogenous melatonin at the seedlings and flowering stages of soybean is effective in alleviating plant damage caused by water deficit stress and improving the drought resistance of soybean plants. In addition, the results showed that application of exogenous melatonin by root is superior to foliar spraying.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226542
spellingShingle Mingcong Zhang
Songyu He
Yingce Zhan
Bin Qin
Xijun Jin
Mengxue Wang
Yuxian Zhang
Guohua Hu
Zhanlin Teng
Yaokun Wu
Exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean.
PLoS ONE
title Exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean.
title_full Exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean.
title_fullStr Exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean.
title_full_unstemmed Exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean.
title_short Exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean.
title_sort exogenous melatonin reduces the inhibitory effect of osmotic stress on photosynthesis in soybean
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226542
work_keys_str_mv AT mingcongzhang exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT songyuhe exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT yingcezhan exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT binqin exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT xijunjin exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT mengxuewang exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT yuxianzhang exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT guohuahu exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT zhanlinteng exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean
AT yaokunwu exogenousmelatoninreducestheinhibitoryeffectofosmoticstressonphotosynthesisinsoybean