Responses to Salinity in Four <i>Plantago</i> Species from Tunisia
The genus <i>Plantago</i> is particularly interesting for studying the mechanisms of salt tolerance in plants, as it includes both halophytes and glycophytes, as well as species adapted to xeric environments. In this study, the salt stress responses of two halophytes, <i>P. crassif...
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/7/1392 |
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| author | Hela Belhaj Ltaeif Anis Sakhraoui Sara González-Orenga Anbu Landa Faz Monica Boscaiu Oscar Vicente Slim Rouz |
| author_facet | Hela Belhaj Ltaeif Anis Sakhraoui Sara González-Orenga Anbu Landa Faz Monica Boscaiu Oscar Vicente Slim Rouz |
| author_sort | Hela Belhaj Ltaeif |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The genus <i>Plantago</i> is particularly interesting for studying the mechanisms of salt tolerance in plants, as it includes both halophytes and glycophytes, as well as species adapted to xeric environments. In this study, the salt stress responses of two halophytes, <i>P. crassifolia</i> and <i>P. coronopus,</i> were compared with those of two glycophytes, <i>P. ovata</i> and <i>P. afra</i>. Plants obtained by seed germination of the four species, collected in different regions of Tunisia, were subjected to increasing salinity treatments for one month under greenhouse conditions. Morphological traits and biochemical parameters, such as ion accumulation and the leaf contents of photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes, oxidative stress markers and antioxidant metabolites, were measured after the treatments. Salt-induced growth inhibition was more pronounced in <i>P. afra</i>, and only plants subjected to the lowest applied NaCl concentration (200 mM) survived until the end of the treatments. The biochemical responses were different in the two groups of plants; the halophytes accumulated higher Na<sup>+</sup> and proline concentrations, whereas MDA levels in their leaves decreased, indicating a lower level of oxidative stress. Overall, the results showed that <i>P. coronopus</i> and <i>P. crassifolia</i> are the most tolerant to salt stress, and <i>P. afra</i> is the most susceptible of the four species. <i>Plantago ovata</i> is also quite resistant, apparently by using specific mechanisms of tolerance that are more efficient than in the halophytes, such as a less pronounced inhibition of photosynthesis, the accumulation of higher levels of Cl<sup>−</sup> ions in the leaves, or the activation of K<sup>+</sup> uptake and transport to the aerial part under high salinity conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:28:02Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:28:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-e251014be9ee4e8ba1d8d438def061f42023-11-22T04:43:28ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472021-07-01107139210.3390/plants10071392Responses to Salinity in Four <i>Plantago</i> Species from TunisiaHela Belhaj Ltaeif0Anis Sakhraoui1Sara González-Orenga2Anbu Landa Faz3Monica Boscaiu4Oscar Vicente5Slim Rouz6Institute for the Conservation and Improvement of Valencian Agrodiversity (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainLaboratory of Agricultural Production Systems and Sustainable Development (LR03AGR02), Department of Agricultural Production, Agricultural High School of Mograne, University of Carthage, 1121 Mograne-Zaghouan, TunisiaInstitute for the Conservation and Improvement of Valencian Agrodiversity (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainInstitute for the Conservation and Improvement of Valencian Agrodiversity (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainMediterranean Agroforestry Institute (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainInstitute for the Conservation and Improvement of Valencian Agrodiversity (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainLaboratory of Agricultural Production Systems and Sustainable Development (LR03AGR02), Department of Agricultural Production, Agricultural High School of Mograne, University of Carthage, 1121 Mograne-Zaghouan, TunisiaThe genus <i>Plantago</i> is particularly interesting for studying the mechanisms of salt tolerance in plants, as it includes both halophytes and glycophytes, as well as species adapted to xeric environments. In this study, the salt stress responses of two halophytes, <i>P. crassifolia</i> and <i>P. coronopus,</i> were compared with those of two glycophytes, <i>P. ovata</i> and <i>P. afra</i>. Plants obtained by seed germination of the four species, collected in different regions of Tunisia, were subjected to increasing salinity treatments for one month under greenhouse conditions. Morphological traits and biochemical parameters, such as ion accumulation and the leaf contents of photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes, oxidative stress markers and antioxidant metabolites, were measured after the treatments. Salt-induced growth inhibition was more pronounced in <i>P. afra</i>, and only plants subjected to the lowest applied NaCl concentration (200 mM) survived until the end of the treatments. The biochemical responses were different in the two groups of plants; the halophytes accumulated higher Na<sup>+</sup> and proline concentrations, whereas MDA levels in their leaves decreased, indicating a lower level of oxidative stress. Overall, the results showed that <i>P. coronopus</i> and <i>P. crassifolia</i> are the most tolerant to salt stress, and <i>P. afra</i> is the most susceptible of the four species. <i>Plantago ovata</i> is also quite resistant, apparently by using specific mechanisms of tolerance that are more efficient than in the halophytes, such as a less pronounced inhibition of photosynthesis, the accumulation of higher levels of Cl<sup>−</sup> ions in the leaves, or the activation of K<sup>+</sup> uptake and transport to the aerial part under high salinity conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/7/1392salt stresshalophytesgrowth responsesion accumulationosmolytesoxidative stress biomarkers |
| spellingShingle | Hela Belhaj Ltaeif Anis Sakhraoui Sara González-Orenga Anbu Landa Faz Monica Boscaiu Oscar Vicente Slim Rouz Responses to Salinity in Four <i>Plantago</i> Species from Tunisia Plants salt stress halophytes growth responses ion accumulation osmolytes oxidative stress biomarkers |
| title | Responses to Salinity in Four <i>Plantago</i> Species from Tunisia |
| title_full | Responses to Salinity in Four <i>Plantago</i> Species from Tunisia |
| title_fullStr | Responses to Salinity in Four <i>Plantago</i> Species from Tunisia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Responses to Salinity in Four <i>Plantago</i> Species from Tunisia |
| title_short | Responses to Salinity in Four <i>Plantago</i> Species from Tunisia |
| title_sort | responses to salinity in four i plantago i species from tunisia |
| topic | salt stress halophytes growth responses ion accumulation osmolytes oxidative stress biomarkers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/7/1392 |
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