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Exogenous melatonin improves growth and photosynthetic capacity of cucumber under salinity-induced stress

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

Melatonin mediates many physiological processes in animals and plants. To examine the potential roles of melatonin in salinity tolerance, we investigated the effects of exogenous melatonin on growth and antioxidant system in cucumber under 200 mM NaCl stress conditions. The results showed that the melatonin-treated plants significantly increased growth mass and antioxidant protection. Under salinity stress, the addition of melatonin effectively alleviated the decrease in the net photosynthetic rate, the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII, and the total chlorophyll content. Our data also suggested that melatonin and the resistance of plants exhibited a concentration effect. The application of 50–150 μM melatonin significantly improved the photosynthetic capacity. Additionally, the pretreatment with melatonin reduced the oxidative damage under salinity stress by scavenging directly H2O2 or enhancing activity of antioxidant enzymes (including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase) and concentrations of antioxidants (ascorbic acid and glutathione). Therefore, the melatonin-treated plants could effectively enhance their salinity tolerance.

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Abbreviations

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

AsA:

ascorbate

CAT:

catalase

Chl:

chlorophyll

DAT:

days after treatment

DM:

dry mass

DTNB:

5,5′-dithio-bis-2-nitrobenzoic acid

F0 :

minimal fluorescence yield of the dark-adapted state

Fm :

maximal fluorescence yield of the dark-adapted state

Fv :

variable fluorescence

Fv/Fm :

maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry

FM:

fresh mass

GR:

glutathion reductase

GSH:

reduced glutathione

GSSH:

oxidized glutathione

IAA:

indole acetic acid

MDA:

malondialdehyde

MT:

melatonin

NSC:

unstressed control group

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

POD:

peroxidase

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

ST:

salt treatment

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China

    L. Y. Wang, J. L. Liu, W. X. Wang & Y. Sun

Authors
  1. L. Y. Wang
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  2. J. L. Liu
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  3. W. X. Wang
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  4. Y. Sun
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. Sun.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the earmarked fund for China Agricultural Research System. The authors are grateful to Priscilla Licht for help in revising our English composition and to Mr. Zhengwei Ma for management of the potted cucumber plants.

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Wang, L.Y., Liu, J.L., Wang, W.X. et al. Exogenous melatonin improves growth and photosynthetic capacity of cucumber under salinity-induced stress. Photosynthetica 54, 19–27 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-015-0140-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-015-0140-3

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