Abstract
Suaeda japonica Makino belonging to the family Chenopodiaceae, is a halophyte and grows at the shore of Ariake sea in Japan. This plant presumably possesses high salt resistant nature, thus, we examined the mechanisms of seed germination under salt stress. The seeds maintained 80% germination rates on the medium containing 0.7 M NaCl. Germination rates varied depending on salt type; the germination rates under NaCl or KCI exhibited relatively lower values than ones under sodium gluconate or potassium gluconate. This different responses for salts seemed to be as a result of the presence of Cl− ions. Although very high levels of betaine (compatible solute), were kept in the seedlings grown under no salt stress, the contents gradually increased as concentration of NaCl increased. Betaine is a factor present in plants that works to alleviate the effects of excessive soil salts. It is synthesized in leaves from betaine aldehyde, and this process is catabolized by betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH). When the seedlings were cultivated on the medium without NaCl, relatively high level of BADH activity was found. The activity increased 5-fold in the seedlings grown under 0.5 M NaCl stress. Increases in betaine content and BADH activity were found during seed germination. InS. japonica, the salt stress promoted BADH activity, subsequently endogenous betaine contents were increased, and increased betaine seemed to secure seed germination under salt stress.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- BADH:
-
betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase
- DTT:
-
dithiothreitol
- EDTA:
-
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- KGluc:
-
potassium gluconate
- MOPS:
-
3-(N-morpholino)-propane sulfonic acid
- NaGluc:
-
sodium gluconate
- NMR:
-
nuclear magnetic resonance
- PEG:
-
plolyethylene glycol
References
Arakawa, K., Katayama, M. andTakabe, T. 1990. Levels of betaine and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in the green leaves, and etiolated leaves and roots of barley. Plant Cell Physiol.31: 797–803.
Bingham, F.T., Fenn, L.B. andOertli, J.J. 1968. A sand-culture study of chloride toxicity of mature avocado trees. Soil. Sci. Amer. Proc.32: 249–252.
Gimmler, H., Kaaden, R., Kirchner, U. andWeyand, A. 1984. The chloride sensitivity ofDunaliella parva enzymes. Z. Pflanzenphysiol.114: 131–150.
Gorham, J., McDonnell, E., Budrewicz, E. andWyn Jones, R.G. 1985. Salt tolerance in the Triticeae: Growth and solute accumulation in leaves ofThinopyrum bessarabicum. J. Exp. Bot.36: 1021–1031.
Hanson, A.D. andHitz, W.D. 1982. Metabolic responses of mesophytes to plant water deficits. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol.33: 163–203.
Hanson, A.D., May, A.M., Grumet, R., Bode, J., Jamieson, G.C. andRhodes, D. 1985. Betaine synthesis in chenopods: Localization in chloroplasts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA82: 3678–3682.
Jones, G.P., Naidu, B.P., Starr, R.K. andPaleg L.G. 1986. Estimates of solutes accumulating in plants by1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Aust. J. Plant Physiol.13: 649–658.
Lagerwerff, J.V. andEagle, H.E. 1961. Osmotic and specific effects of excess salts on beans. Plant Physiol.36: 472–477.
Matoh, T., Matsushita, N. andTakahashi, E. 1988. Salt tolerance of the reed plantPhragmites communis. Physiol. Plant.,72: 8–14.
Matoh, T., Watanabe, J. andTakahashi, E. 1987. Sodium, potassium, chloride, and betaine concentrations in isolated vacuoles from salt-grownAtriplex gmelini leaves. Plant Physiol.84: 173–177.
Murashige, T. andSkoog, F. 1962. A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol. Plant.15: 473–497.
Pan, S.-M., Moreau, R.A., Yu, C. andHuang, A.H.C. 1981. Betaine accumulation and betaine-aldehyde dehydrogenase in spinach leaves. Plant Physiol.67: 1105–1108.
Robinson, S.P. andJones, G.P. 1986. Accumulation of glycine-betaine in chloroplasts provides osmotic adjustment during salt stress. Aust. J. Plant Physiol.13: 659–668.
Storey, R. andWyn Jones, R.G. 1978. Salt stress and comparative physiology in the Gramineae. I. Ion relations of two salt- and water-stressed barley cultivars, California Mariout and Arimar. Aust. J. Plant Physiol.5: 801–816.
Tanaka, N., Harada, J., Arima, S. andYamada, M. 1993. Growth and morphology ofSuaeda japonica Makino. Bull. Fac. Agr., Saga Univ.73: 69–76. (Japanese).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yokoishi, T., Tanimoto, S. Seed germination of the halophyteSuaeda japonica under salt stress. J. Plant Res. 107, 385–388 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02344061
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02344061