Abstract
Supplemental calcium (Ca2+) is used in hydroponic studies on salinity to lessen the potential for Ca2+ deficiency. However, the Ca2+ concentration and the sodium (Na+): Ca2+ ratio used vary considerably. The implications of using a wide range of Na+: Ca2+ ratios for studies of salinity tolerance in wheat are not known. Also, despite the risk of development of Ca2+ deficiency under salinity stress, there are few reliable reports on the critical level of Ca2+ which can be used to diagnose Ca2+ deficiency in wheat. Two experiments were conducted to examine Ca2+ requirements of wheat under saline and non-saline conditions and to derive a critical level for Ca2+. Four bread wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) and a durum wheat genotype [Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) (Desf.) Husn.] with known differences in salinity tolerance were grown at 100 mM NaCl for four weeks with varying levels of external Ca2+ which resulted in Na+:Ca2+ ratios of 30, 20, 15, 5 and 2. The critical Ca2+ concentration was defined in a second experiment by growing the same wheat genotypes at seven levels of Ca2+ (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2 and 10 mM) under non-saline conditions. When grown at 100 mM NaCl salinity tolerance was greatest when the Na+:Ca2+ ratio ranged from 5 to 15. Growing plants at lower or higher Na+:Ca2+ ratios induced nutrient imbalances and additional osmotic stress which reduced the growth of plants. Transient Ca2+ deficiency occurred at high Na+:Ca2+ ratios and low Mg2+ occurred at the lowest Na+:Ca2+ ratio. Adding NaCl raised the tissue Na+ concentration and reduced the Ca2+ concentration and the most appropriate Na+:Ca2+ ratio in the solution was that which resulted in tissue Ca2+ concentrations similar to those of non-salinised plants. The critical level of Ca2+ in the youngest fully emerged leaf blades was 15–23 mmol kg-1 DW (600–900 mg kg-1 DW).
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Acknowledgements
We thank Mr. Robin Hosking (the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics) for his construction and creative modification of the supported hydroponic system and technical support throughout this project, Mrs. Teresa Fowles and Mr. Lyndon Palmer (The University of Adelaide) for their help with ICP-OES analysis, Mr. Stewart Coventry (The University of Adelaide) for his assistance with osmotic potential measurements, and Dr. Hugh Wallwork (South Australian Research and Development Corporation) for kindly supplying the seed for this study. We also thank Dr. Robert M Norton (University of Melbourne, Australia) and Dr. John Angus (the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, Australia) for providing data on soil solution Ca2+ concentrations, and Dr. Rana Munns (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, Australia), Dr. Christina Morris (the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics), the editor and anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on this manuscript. This work was supported by the Molecular Plant Breeding Cooperative Research Centre, the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, the Grains Research and Development Corporation, the Australian Research Council and The University of Adelaide.
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Responsible Editor: Timothy J. Flowers.
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Genc, Y., Tester, M. & McDonald, G.K. Calcium requirement of wheat in saline and non-saline conditions. Plant Soil 327, 331–345 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0057-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0057-3