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Involvement of jasmonates in responses of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seedlings to moderate water stress

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Abstract

Jasmonates (JAs), a type of phytohormone, are involved in sensing and signaling of several environmental stresses (biotic and abiotic). Jasmonic acid (JA) has been suggested to function in plant responses to drought, because this type of stress induces expression of several genes that also respond to JA. We investigated the involvement of JA and its precursor (12-oxo-phytodienoic acid; OPDA) on seedling morphological and physiological characteristics of two sunflower (Helianthus annuus) inbred lines with contrasting responses (sensitive vs. tolerant) to water stress. Our experimental treatments were based on moderate water stress (simulated by application of mannitol 400 mM) and on blocking of JA biosynthesis (by the chemical inhibitor salicylhydroxamic acid; SHAM). Water stress resulted in reduction of primary root (PR) growth and lateral root (LR) growth, but in increased LR number. SHAM treatment increased PR length, LR number, and LR length, thus strongly affecting root architecture. Water stress had differential effects on various physiological parameters, including relative water content (RWC), stomatal conductance, and content of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls, carotenoids). OPDA and JA accumulation in aerial part and roots induced by water stress was reversed by combined water stress plus SHAM treatment at day 14. Our findings suggest that SHAM effectively inhibits de novo JA biosynthesis induced by water stress, and that JAs play a protective role in responses of sunflower seedlings to this stress. JAs, particularly OPDA, are highly effective signaling molecules in mediation of sunflower seedling responses to water stress.

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Abbreviations

DAS:

Days after sowing

JA:

Jasmonic acid

JAs:

Jasmonates

JA-Ile:

JA-isoleucine

LR:

Lateral roots

MPa:

Megapascal

OPDA:

12-oxo-phytodienoic acid

PR:

Primary root

RWC:

Relative water content

S + SHAM:

Water stress plus SHAM

SHAM:

Salicylhydroxamic acid

SD:

Stomatal density

SI:

Stomatal index

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from CONICET to AA, and from SECYT-UNRC to SA. The authors are grateful to Dr. S. Anderson for English editing of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico–Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, 5800, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina

    Andrea Andrade, Maximiliano Escalante, Ana Vigliocco & Sergio Alemano

  2. Laboratorio de Morfología Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico–Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, 5800, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina

    María del Carmen Tordable

  3. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Andrea Andrade

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  1. Andrea Andrade
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Correspondence to Sergio Alemano.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

10725_2017_317_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Supplementary material 1 B59 seedlings grown under normal conditions (control) (A) and under water stress (mannitol 400 mM) (B) for 16 d. (TIF 2415 KB)

Supplementary material 2 B71 seedlings grown under the same conditions as in Fig. A1. (TIF 2816 KB)

10725_2017_317_MOESM3_ESM.tiff

Supplementary material 3 Leaf areas of B59 and B71 seedling under four experimental treatments as in Fig. 1. Data and statistical conventions as in Fig. 1. (TIFF 1915 KB)

10725_2017_317_MOESM4_ESM.tiff

Supplementary material 4 Leaf growth rate of B59 seedlings grown under optimal conditions (control), water stress (mannitol 400 mM), SHAM treatment, and combination of water stress plus SHAM treatment (S + SHAM). Data shown are mean ± SE from four replicates. Values with the same letter are not significantly different at P ≤ 0.05. (TIFF 35 KB)

10725_2017_317_MOESM5_ESM.tiff

Supplementary material 5 Leaf growth rate of B71 seedlings grown under four experimental treatments as in Fig. A3. Data and statistical conventions as in Fig. A3. (TIFF 2373 KB)

10725_2017_317_MOESM6_ESM.tiff

Supplementary material 6 Microphotographs of abaxial and adaxial epidermis of B71 and B59 seedlings. Scale bar: 1 μm. (TIFF 7742 KB)

10725_2017_317_MOESM7_ESM.tiff

Supplementary material 7 Stomatal density in leaves of B59 and B71 seedlings grown under four experimental treatments as in Fig. A3. Data and statistical conventions as in Fig. A3. (TIFF 127 KB)

10725_2017_317_MOESM8_ESM.tiff

Supplementary material 8 Stomatal index in leaves of B59 and B71 seedlings grown under four experimental treatments as in Fig. A3. Data and statistical conventions as in Fig. A3, except with three replicates. (TIFF 126 KB)

Supplementary material 9 (DOC 37 KB)

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Andrade, A., Escalante, M., Vigliocco, A. et al. Involvement of jasmonates in responses of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seedlings to moderate water stress. Plant Growth Regul 83, 501–511 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-017-0317-9

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