Aster tripolium L. and Sesuvium portulacastrum L.: two halophytes, two strategies to survive in saline habitats.
Aster tripolium L. (Dollart, Germany) and Sesuvium portulacastrum L. (Dakhla, Morocco) are potential halophytic vegetables, fodder plants, and ornamentals for re-vegetating saline land. To compare their strategies involved in salt tolerance both plants were grown with 0%, 1.5%, and 3% (Aster) or 0%, 2.5%, and 5% (Sesuvium) NaCl in the watering solution. The growth rate was reduced in both species with increasing NaCl concentrations. The quotient of Na(+)/K(+) indicates that Aster accumulates more K(+) in comparison to Na(+) while the reverse is true for Sesuvium. Osmolality of the leaf sap increased with increasing NaCl concentration in both Aster and Sesuvium. Transpiration rate was severely reduced in both Aster (3%) and Sesuvium (5%) plants after 10 d of NaCl watering. The CO(2) assimilation rate decreased in Aster (3%) and Sesuvium (5%) NaCl-treated plants from day 5 to day 10. The most important results from chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were derived from the non-photochemical quenching analysis (NPQ). First, both plants had linearly increasing levels of NPQ with increasing NaCl concentrations. Second, Sesuvium had almost half the NPQ value when compared to Aster under increased soil salinity. In Aster P-ATPase activities were decreased in plants treated with 3% NaCl after three days of treatment, F-ATPase activities increased with increasing NaCl concentrations and no clear changes were measured in V-ATPase activities. In Sesuvium any changes could be observed in the three ATPase activities determined. To conclude, Aster and Sesuvium use different strategies in adaptation to soil salinity.
Ramani
Balasubramanian
B
Institut für Botanik, Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuserstrasse 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany.
Reeck
Thilo
T
Debez
Ahmed
A
Stelzer
Ralf
R
Huchzermeyer
Bernhard
B
Schmidt
Ahlert
A
Papenbrock
Jutta
J
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D035722:Aizoaceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D031173:Aster Plant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*
D010940:Plant Proteins; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002338:Carotenoids; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012964:Sodium; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D011188:Potassium