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Effect of Epichloë gansuensis endophyte on the activity of enzymes of nitrogen metabolism, nitrogen use efficiency and photosynthetic ability of Achnatherum inebrians under various NaCl concentrations

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Abstract

Background and aims

This study explored the effects of Epichloë gansuensis endophyte on photosynthetic ability, the activity of nitrogen metabolism enzymes, nitrogen use efficiency, and biomass accumulation of Achnatherum inebrians growing under five NaCl concentrations.

Methods

A. inebrians plants with (E+) and without E. gansuensis (E−) were grown under different NaCl concentrations. Photosynthetic indexes, NO3− and NH4+ content, nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS) activity, nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen content were determined.

Results

The plant total biomass, NO3− and N content, NR, NiR and GS activity, total N accumulation (TNA), nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE) and nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE) were higher in leaves and roots of E+ than of E− plants under 300 and 400 mM NaCl concentrations, but NH4+ content was lower in leaves and roots of E+ than of E− plants under 100, 200, 300 and 400 mM NaCl concentrations. However, there were almost no significant effects on these factors between E+ and E− plants under the 0 mM NaCl concentration.

Conclusions

The endophyte improved the growth of plants under high NaCl concentration by improving photosynthetic ability, increasing the activity of nitrogen metabolism enzymes and nitrogen use efficiency.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Chao Xia, Wei Tang, Taixiang Chen and Yane Guo for assistance with experiments. This research was financially supported by National Basic Research Program of China (2014CB138702), 111 Project (B12002), the Natural Science Foundation of China (31772665) and the Open Foundation of Research institute of Qilian Mountains 504000-(87080305), Lanzhou university.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems. Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, Gansu, China

    Jianfeng Wang, Pei Tian, Xingxu Zhang, Chunjie Li & Zhibiao Nan

  2. Retired scientist of AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11-008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand

    Michael J. Christensen

Authors
  1. Jianfeng Wang
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  2. Pei Tian
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  3. Michael J. Christensen
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  4. Xingxu Zhang
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  5. Chunjie Li
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  6. Zhibiao Nan
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Contributions

Designed research: Jianfeng Wang, Zhibiao Nan. Performed research: Jianfeng Wang, Zhibiao Nan. Analyzed data: Jianfeng Wang, Zhibiao Nan, Pei Tian, Xingxu Zhang, Chunjie Li. Wrote the paper: Jianfeng Wang, Zhibiao Nan, Michael Christensen.

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Correspondence to Zhibiao Nan.

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Responsible Editor: Stéphane Compant.

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Wang, J., Tian, P., Christensen, M.J. et al. Effect of Epichloë gansuensis endophyte on the activity of enzymes of nitrogen metabolism, nitrogen use efficiency and photosynthetic ability of Achnatherum inebrians under various NaCl concentrations. Plant Soil 435, 57–68 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3868-2

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