Abstract
Sporobolus pungens (Schreb.) Kunth is a perennial rhizomatous grass which develops at several coastal habitats, being relevant in the embryonic dune communities. Considering its importance for dune ecosystem and its fragile situation in the face of changes in sea level derived from global warming, the present study aimed to evaluate S. pungens response to increased salinity. One-year-old plants were exposed to different seawater (SW) dilutions (None, 1/16SW, 1/8SW, 1/4SW, 1/2 W and Full-SW). Gas exchange measurements and oxidative stress biomarkers were determined after two months of treatment. Stress conditions were maintained until flowering finished in order to assess the potential effects on the reproductive effort. Strong delay and inhibition of flowering were observed at low salinity levels and full inhibition for further treatments. Gas exchange measurements showed little effect until 1/8SW and a decreased assimilation rate due to mainly stomatal limitations at 1/4SW. Further decreases at higher salinity levels were related to both stomatal and metabolic limitations. As salinity increased, there was a progressive increase in the activity of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, while catalase activity remained stable. Superoxide dismutase did not vary except for Full-SW, where the activity significantly decreased. The levels of malondialdehyde, a marker of lipid peroxidation, remained unchanged and only increased in Full-SW level. In addition, the concentration of osmolytes, proline and soluble sugars, increased progressively with increasing salinity. In conclusion, S. pungens showed strong tolerance to salinity, through physiological adjustments at low levels of salinity, and activating glutathione-dependent enzymes at the highest concentrations. Evidence of oxidative damage was only observed after Full-SW exposure, although no death rate was recorded.
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Data Availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author and Lorenzo Gil on reasonable request.
Abbreviations
- SOD:
-
Superoxide dismutase
- GPx:
-
Glutathione peroxidase
- GRd:
-
Glutathione reductase
- CAT:
-
Catalase
- MDA:
-
Malondialdehyde
- ROS:
-
Reactive Oxygen species
- A n :
-
Net assimilation
- g s :
-
stomatal conductance
- C i :
-
intercellular CO2
- E:
-
Transpiration rate
- ETR:
-
electron transport rate
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Acknowledgements
M.D. Cerrato was supported by a Beca de Formación de Profesorado Universitario (FPU) (Ministerio de Universidades, Gobierno de España). A. Sureda was granted by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (Project CIBEROBN CB12/03/30038).
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M.D. Cerrato was supported by a Beca de Formación de Profesorado Universitario (FPU) (Ministerio de Universidades, Gobierno de España). A. Sureda was granted by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (Project CIBEROBN CB12/03/30038).
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Marcello Cerrato, Jaume Flexas, Antoni Sureda, and Lorenzo Gil contributed to the study conception and design. The methodology was developed by Marcello Cerrato, Antoni Sureda, Jaume Flexas, and Lorenzo Gil. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Marcello Cerrato, Arnau Ribas-Serra, Pere Miquel Mir-Rosselló, Cyril Douthe and Iván Cortés-Fernández. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Marcello Cerrato, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Cerrato, M., Ribas-Serra, A., Cortés-Fernández, I. et al. Effect of seawater salinity stress on Sporobolus pungens (Schreb.) Kunth, a halophytic grass of the mediterranean embryonic dunes. Plant Growth Regul 98, 191–204 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-022-00846-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-022-00846-5