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Reshifting Na+ from Shoots into Long Roots Is Associated with Salt Tolerance in Two Contrasting Inbred Maize (Zea
Zhenyang Zhao1, Hongxia Zheng2, Minghao Wang1
1School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266237, China.
Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 1, 2023
Summary
Salt-tolerant maize (QXH0121) effectively manages sodium (Na+) by shifting it to roots and improves potassium (K+) retention, unlike salt-sensitive maize (QXN233). This involves key gene expression, enhancing proline and antioxidant levels for superior salt resistance.
Area of Science:
- Plant Science
- Molecular Biology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Maize (Zea mays), a glycophyte, exhibits high sensitivity to salinity, hindering crop productivity.
- The precise molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying maize salt tolerance remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of contrasting maize inbred lines to salt stress.
- To elucidate the key factors contributing to differential salt tolerance between a salt-tolerant and a salt-sensitive maize line.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of salt-tolerant (QXH0121) and salt-sensitive (QXN233) maize inbred lines under salt stress.
- Assessment of physiological parameters (growth, ion content), biochemical markers (proline, soluble protein, sugar, SOD activity), and gene expression (ZmHAK1, ZmNHX1, ZmP5CR, ZmBADH, ZmTPS1, ZmSOD4).
Main Results:
- The salt-tolerant QXH0121 line maintained growth, while QXN233 showed negative growth effects under salt stress.
- QXH0121 demonstrated efficient Na+ redistribution from shoots to roots and enhanced K+ retention, linked to upregulated ZmHAK1 and ZmNHX1 expression.
- QXH0121 leaves accumulated higher levels of proline, soluble protein, and sugars, with increased SOD activity, correlating with upregulated ZmP5CR, ZmBADH, ZmTPS1, and ZmSOD4.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced Na+ sequestration into roots and improved K+ homeostasis are critical for maize salt tolerance.
- Upregulation of genes involved in osmotic adjustment and antioxidant defense contributes significantly to salt tolerance in maize.
- Understanding these mechanisms provides insights for breeding salt-resistant maize varieties.
