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Leaf photosynthesis, fluorescence response to salinity and the relevance to chloroplast salt compartmentation and anti-oxidative stress in two poplars

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Abstract

In a 16-day study, the effect of increasing soil NaCl on leaf photosynthesis, chlorophyll a fluorescence, chloroplast ion compartmentation, variations of SOD (superoxide dismutase) and POD (peroxidase) isoenzymes and the relevance to salt resistance were investigated in seedlings of Populus euphratica Oliv. (P. euphratica) (salt-resistant) and rooted cuttings of P. “popularis 35–44” (P. popularis) (salt-sensitive). Initial salinity caused a rapid decline of net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and unit transpiration rate (TRN) in P. euphratica, resulting from the NaCl-induced stomatal closure. In a longer-term of salinity, CO2 assimilation in P. popularis was severely reduced whereas stressed P. euphratica maintained a relatively higher and constant level of Pn. Pn–Ci curves showed that salt stress (12 days) reduced CO2 saturation point (CSP), CO2 saturated Pn (CSP n ), and carboxylation efficiency (CE), but increased CO2 compensation point (CCP) in the two genotypes. Similarly, salinity lowered light saturation point (LSP), light saturated Pn (LSP n ), and apparent quantum yield (AQY) in both genotypes but the inhibitory effect of NaCl on light reaction was more pronounced in P. popularis, as compared to P. euphratica. Chlorophyll a fluorescence data indicated that a longer-term of salt stress (12 days) exhibited a marked influence on fluorescence parameters of P. popularis in both dark- and light-adapted states: (a) NaCl inhibited the maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm) due to the salt-induced increase of Fo (the minimal fluorescence) and the marked decline of Fm (the maximal fluorescence); (b) salinity decreased coefficient of photochemical quenching (qP) but markedly elevated coefficient of nonphotochemical quenching (qN) in the light-adapted state. In contrast, there were no corresponding changes of chlorophyll a fluorescence in salinised P. euphratica. X-ray microanalysis results showed that salinity caused salt accumulation in the chloroplasts of P. popularis in which Na+ and Cl− increased up to 42 and 221 mmol dm−3, respectively. Great buildup of Na+ and Cl− in chloroplasts of P. popularis may exhibit direct and indirect restrictions on dark and light reactions. The activity of SOD isoenzymes (CuZn-SOD I and CuZn-SOD II) and POD isoenzymes in P. popularis decreased with increasing exposure period, and leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) content and membrane permeability (MP) increased correspondingly. In contrast to P. popularis, stressed P. euphratica maintained activity of SOD and POD isoenzymes and there was no significant increase of MDA and MP during the period of salt stress. In conclusion, P. euphratica plants exhibited a higher capacity to maintain the activity of anti-oxidant enzymes and restrict salt accumulation in the chloroplasts, the photosynthesis processes were less restricted consequently.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported jointly by Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung/Foundation (Germany), German Science Foundation through Poplar Research Group Germany (PRG), the key project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (30430430), National Program for High Technology Research and Development (863) of China (No.2006AA10Z131), a Foundation for the Author of National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of PR China (200152), and the Teaching and Research Award Program for Outstanding Young Teachers in Higher Education Institution of MOE, PRC (2002-323). We thank Dr. Andrea Olbrich for valuable help with operating the microscope, Haiyuan Ma, Liyuan Liu, He Li, Haijiao Weng, Zhiyong Hao, Shuang Yang, Shan Duan and Jie Jiang for assistance in greenhouse and laboratory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Box 162, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Ruigang Wang, Shaoliang Chen & Lin Deng

  2. Institut für Forstbotanik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    Eberhard Fritz, Aloys Hüttermann & Andrea Polle

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  1. Ruigang Wang
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  2. Shaoliang Chen
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  3. Lin Deng
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  4. Eberhard Fritz
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  5. Aloys Hüttermann
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  6. Andrea Polle
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Correspondence to Shaoliang Chen.

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Communicated by H. Rennenberg.

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Wang, R., Chen, S., Deng, L. et al. Leaf photosynthesis, fluorescence response to salinity and the relevance to chloroplast salt compartmentation and anti-oxidative stress in two poplars. Trees 21, 581–591 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-007-0154-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-007-0154-y

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