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Grafting onto Cucurbita moschata rootstock alleviates salt stress in cucumber plants by delaying photoinhibition

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

To determine how the use of a given rootstock can influence the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus of the scion under salt stress, the growth, gas exchange, photosystem II (PSII) efficiency, xanthophyll cycle, and chloroplast ultrastructure of nongrafted, self-grafted, and pumpkin-grafted (hereafter referred to as rootstock-grafted) cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants were investigated at day 15 after being treated with 90 mM NaCl. The reductions in plant growth of the rootstock-grafted plants were lower than those of the nongrafted and self-grafted plants under 90 mM NaCl. The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, maximal and effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry, photochemical quenching coefficient, and effective quantum-use efficiency of PSII in the light-adapted state of the nongrafted and self-grafted plants were significantly decreased under 90 mM NaCl. However, these reductions were alleviated when the cucumber plants were grafted onto the pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) rootstock. The intercellular CO2 concentrations were significantly increased in the nongrafted and self-grafted plants under 90 mM NaCl, whereas it was decreased in the rootstock-grafted plants. Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) and the deepoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle were significantly increased under 90 mM NaCl, particularly in the rootstockgrafted plants, suggesting the rootstock-grafted plants had higher potential to dissipate excess excitation energy and reduce the probability of photodamage to PSII. Under 90 mM NaCl, the number of grana was reduced, the thylakoids were swollen, and starch granules accumulated in all plants. However, the damage of chloroplast ultrastructure was alleviated in the rootstock-grafted plants. Taken together, the use of C. moschata rootstock alleviated salt stress in cucumber plants by delaying photoinhibition, probably due to a lower incidence of both stomatal and nonstomatal factors limiting photosynthesis.

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Abbreviations

A:

antheraxanthin

Chl:

chlorophyll

C i :

intercellular CO2 concentration

E :

transpiration rate

Fm :

maximal fluorescence of dark-adapted state

Fm′:

maximal fluorescence of light-adapted state

Fo :

minimal fluorescence of dark-adapted state

Fo′:

minimal fluorescence of light-adapted state

Fs :

steady-state fluorescence yield

Fv :

maximal variable fluorescence

Fv/Fm :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

Fv′/Fm′:

effective quantum use efficiency of PSII in the light-adapted state

g s :

stomatal conductance

NPQ:

nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

PSII:

photosystem II

qP :

photochemical quenching coefficient

V:

violaxanthin

Z:

zeaxanthin

ΦPSII :

effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, P.R. China

    Z. X. Liu, Z. L. Bie, Y. Huang, A. Zhen, B. Lei & H. Y. Zhang

Authors
  1. Z. X. Liu
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  2. Z. L. Bie
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  3. Y. Huang
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  4. A. Zhen
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  5. B. Lei
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  6. H. Y. Zhang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Z. L. Bie.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the 973 Project of China (2009CB119000), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30871738), the Key Project of the Chinese Ministry of Education (109113) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (2008CDB081).

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Liu, Z.X., Bie, Z.L., Huang, Y. et al. Grafting onto Cucurbita moschata rootstock alleviates salt stress in cucumber plants by delaying photoinhibition. Photosynthetica 50, 152–160 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-012-0007-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-012-0007-9

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