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Exogenous melatonin regulates chromium stress-induced feedback inhibition of photosynthesis and antioxidative protection in Brassica napus cultivars

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Abstract

Key message

Melatonin is an early player in chromium stress response in canola plants; it promotes ROS scavenging and chlorophyll stability, modulates PSII stability and regulates feedback inhibition of photosynthesis conferring chromium tolerance.

Abstract

The development of heavy metals, especially chromium (Cr)-tolerant cultivars is mainly constrained due to poor knowledge of the mechanism behind Cr stress tolerance. In the present study, two Brassica napus contrasting cultivars Ac-Excel and DGL were studied for Cr stress tolerance by using chlorophyll a fluorescence technique and biochemical attributes with and without melatonin (MT) treatments. Cr stress significantly reduced the PSII and PSI efficiency, biomass accumulation, proline content and antioxidant enzymes in both the cultivars. The application of MT minimized the oxidative stress, as revealed via a lower level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) synthesis (H2O2 and OH−). Enhanced enzymatic activities of important antioxidants (SOD, APX, CAT, POD), proline and total soluble protein contents under MT application play an effective role in the regulation of multiple transcriptional pathways involved in oxidative stress responses. Higher NPQ and Y(NPQ) observed in Cr stress tolerant cv Ac-Excel, indicating that the MT-treated tolerant cultivar had better ability to protect PSII under Cr stress by increasing heat dissipation as photo-protective component of NPQ. Reduced PSI efficiency along with increased donor end limitation of PSI in both canola cultivars further confirmed the lower PSII activity and electron transport from PSII. The Cr content was higher in cv. DGL as compared to (that in Ac-Excel). The application of MT significantly decreased the Cr content in leaves of both cultivars. Overall, MT-induced Cr stress tolerance in canola cultivars can be related to improved PSII activity, Y(NPQ), and antioxidant potential and these physiological attributes can effectively be used to select cultivars for Cr stress tolerance.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

CAT:

Catalase

DW:

Dry weight

EDTA:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

Fv/Fm:

Primary photochemistry of PSII

FW:

Fresh weight

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

MDA:

Malonaldehyde

Na2HPO4 :

Disodium phosphate

NBT:

Nitro blue tetrazolium chloride

PBS:

Phosphate buffer solution

POD:

Peroxidase

PSI, PSII:

Photosystem I, photosystem II

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

RWC:

Relative water content

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TBA:

Thiobarbituric acid

TCA:

Trichloroacetic acid

TW:

Turgid weight

MT:

Melatonin

Cr:

Chromium

ETR:

Electron transport rate

PI:

Performance index

KI:

Potassium iodide

QA:

Quinone A

ASA:

Ascorbic acid

Fo:

Minimum fluorescence

Fm:

Maximum fluorescence

Mo:

Maximum rate of accumulation of closed reaction centers

N :

Maximum turnovers of QA reduction until Fm was reached

Fv/Fm:

Maximum quantum yield of PSII

Fv/Fo:

Efficiency of electron donation to PSII; absorption per reaction center at PSII/ratio of active reaction centers in PSII (Clark et al. 2000)

TRo/RC:

Trapped energy flux per reaction center

ETo/RC:

Electron transport flux per reaction center

DIo/RC:

Dissipation energy flux per reaction center

PIABS :

Performance index on absorption basis

NPQ:

Non-photochemical quenching

Y(NPQ):

Protective photochemical quenching

Y(I):

Quantum yield of PS(I)

Y(II):

Quantum yield of PS(II)

Y(ND):

Donor site limitation of PS(I)

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang Province (14th 5-Year New Oil Crops Breeding) and the Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production (JCIC-MCP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Crop Science, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Laboratory of Spectroscopy Sensing, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Ahsan Ayyaz & Muhammad Ahsan Farooq

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan

    Muhammad Dawood

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan

    Abdul Majid

  4. Department of Botany, University of Education, Lahore, Sub-Campus Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, Pakistan

    Muhammad Javed

  5. Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

    Habib‐ur‐Rehman Athar & Zafar Ullah Zafar

  6. Department of Botany, The Women University, Multan, 60000, Pakistan

    Hussan Bano

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  1. Ahsan Ayyaz
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  2. Muhammad Ahsan Farooq
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  3. Muhammad Dawood
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  4. Abdul Majid
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  5. Muhammad Javed
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  6. Habib‐ur‐Rehman Athar
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  7. Hussan Bano
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  8. Zafar Ullah Zafar
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Correspondence to Muhammad Ahsan Farooq or Zafar Ullah Zafar.

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Ayyaz, A., Farooq, M.A., Dawood, M. et al. Exogenous melatonin regulates chromium stress-induced feedback inhibition of photosynthesis and antioxidative protection in Brassica napus cultivars. Plant Cell Rep 40, 2063–2080 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-021-02769-3

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