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Comparative effects of osmotic-, salt- and alkali stress on growth, photosynthesis, and osmotic adjustment of cotton plants

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

In this study, cotton seedlings were subjected to osmotic-, salt- and alkali stresses. The growth, photosynthesis, inorganic ions, and organic acids in the stressed seedlings were measured, to compare the mechanisms by which plants adapt to these stresses and attempt to probe the mechanisms by which plants adapt to high pH stress. Our results indicated that, at high stress intensity, both osmotic and alkali stresses showed a stronger injurious effect on growth and photosynthesis than salt stress. Cotton accumulated large amount of Na+ under salt and alkali stresses, but not under osmotic stress. In addition, the reductions of K+, NO3 −, and H2PO4 − under osmotic stress were much greater than those under salt stress with increasing stress intensity. The lack of inorganic ions limited water uptake and was the main reason for the higher injury from osmotic-compared to salt stress on cotton. Compared with salt- and alkali stresses, the most dramatic response to osmotic stress was the accumulation of soluble sugars as the main organic osmolytes. In addition, we found that organic acid metabolism adjustment may play different roles under different types of stress. Under alkali stress, organic acids might play an important role in maintaining ion balance of cotton; however, under osmotic stress, malate might play an important osmotic role.

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Abbreviations

DM:

dry mass

E :

transpiration rate

FM:

fresh mass

g s :

stomatal conductance

OA:

organic acid

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31072078 and J0830627-2) and the Basic Research Project by Jilin Provincial Government (No. 20090576).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of MOE, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, Jilin Province, China

    W. Chen, C. Feng, W. Guo, D. Shi & C. Yang

Authors
  1. W. Chen
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  2. C. Feng
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  3. W. Guo
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  4. D. Shi
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  5. C. Yang
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Correspondence to C. Yang.

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Chen, W., Feng, C., Guo, W. et al. Comparative effects of osmotic-, salt- and alkali stress on growth, photosynthesis, and osmotic adjustment of cotton plants. Photosynthetica 49, 417–425 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-011-0050-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-011-0050-y

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