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Far-red light interacts with salinity stress in Cucumis sativus seedlings partly through changes in photosynthate allocation

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Abstract

Salinity inhibits plant growth by reducing photosynthesis and leaf expansion. The main factor that inhibits plant growth under salinity stress differs among studies. In the present study, we focused on far-red light (FR) as a factor that interacts with salinity. We investigated the effects of salinity on growth analysis parameters of Cucumis sativus seedlings under light containing FR (FR+) or light without FR (FR–). Interactions between FR and salinity influenced plant growth: the growth inhibition under salinity stress was smaller under FR − than under FR+. Growth analysis showed that the main limiting factor for plant growth under salinity stress was the net assimilation rate (NAR) under FR+, but was the leaf area ratio (LAR) under FR–. NAR was not significantly decreased by salinity under FR–, probably because of improved tolerance of osmotic stress due to an increased proportion of active phytochrome. On the other hand, LAR was decreased by salinity only under FR–. This is probably because salinity did not increase the photosynthate allocation to leaves, which could have compensated for the decreased specific leaf area caused by salinity, because photosynthate allocation to the stem was limited under FR–. Our results indicate that the proportion of FR in light sources, which probably affects stress tolerance and the photosynthate allocation, should be considered when investigating the factors that cause growth inhibition under salinity stress.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (KAKENHI 18H02307 and KAKENHI 21H02322). The authors thank Prof. Yoshiaki Kitaya (Osaka Metropolitan University) for valuable discussion of experimental design.

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, KAKENHI 18H02307, Toshio Shibuya, KAKENHI 21H02322, Toshio Shibuya.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Agriculture, Osaka Metropolitan University, 1-1 Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8531, Japan

    Toshio Shibuya & Ryosuke Endo

  2. Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Gakuen-cho, Naka-ku, Sakai, Osaka, 599-8531, Japan

    Ayano Nagata

Authors
  1. Toshio Shibuya
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  2. Ayano Nagata
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  3. Ryosuke Endo
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Contributions

TS and AN designed experiment, carried out all experimental work, and wrote the manuscript. RE contributed to data interpretation and discussion. All authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Toshio Shibuya.

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Communicated by Vijay Pratap Singh.

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Shibuya, T., Nagata, A. & Endo, R. Far-red light interacts with salinity stress in Cucumis sativus seedlings partly through changes in photosynthate allocation. Plant Growth Regul 102, 91–97 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-023-00978-2

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