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Pumpkin rootstock improves nitrogen use efficiency of watermelon scion by enhancing nutrient uptake, cytokinin content, and expression of nitrate reductase genes

Plant Growth Regulation volume 82, pages 233–246 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) is a macronutrient essential for plant growth and development. Meanwhile, grafting is a method used to alleviate stress tolerance of various biotic and abiotic factors. This study aims to investigate how pumpkin grafting (PG) improves N use efficiency of watermelon. A commercial watermelon cultivar “Zaojia 8424” [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai.] was self-grafted and then grafted onto pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima ×C. moschata) rootstock cv. Qingyan Zhenmu No. 1. The grafted plants were exposed to two levels of N (9 and 0.2 mM) under hydroponic conditions. The grafted plants were harvested at days 11 and 22 after low N (0.2 mM) treatment. PG improved the N use efficiency of watermelon scion through the vigorous root system of pumpkin rootstock that enhanced the uptake and accumulation of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, and Mn in watermelon. Gene expressions of nitrate reductase (Cla002787, Cla002791, and Cla023145) and nitrite reductase (Cla013062) genes were increased, promoting N assimilation. Mesophyll thickness and SPAD index (relative chlorophyll measurement) were also improved. Furthermore, pumpkin rootstock also enhanced the supply of zeatine riboside (ZR) and isopentenyl adenosine (iPA) in the leaves, promoting shoot growth. All these lead to improved plant growth and nitrogen use efficiency of pumpkin rootstock-grafted watermelon plants.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31201660, 31471919), The International Science and Technology Cooperation Program of China (2015DFG32310), and China Agriculture Research System (CARS-26-16).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education/College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People’s Republic of China

    Muhammad Azher Nawaz, Liangming Wang, Yanyan Jiao, Chen Chen, Liang Zhao, Mengjun Mei, Yunlong Yu, Zhilong Bie & Yuan Huang

  2. Department of Horticulture, University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan

    Muhammad Azher Nawaz

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  1. Muhammad Azher Nawaz
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Nawaz, M.A., Wang, L., Jiao, Y. et al. Pumpkin rootstock improves nitrogen use efficiency of watermelon scion by enhancing nutrient uptake, cytokinin content, and expression of nitrate reductase genes . Plant Growth Regul 82, 233–246 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-017-0254-7

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