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Plant growth, ion accumulation, and antioxidant enzymes of endophyte-infected and endophyte-free tall fescue to salinity stress

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Abstract

Endophyte-mediated salinity tolerance is largely unknown in tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.)]. The experiment was designed to characterize growth, ion accumulation, and antioxidant metabolism of tall fescue infected by the endophyte Epichloë coenophiala to different levels of salinity stress. Endophyte-infected (E +) and endophyte-free (E−) tall fescue (cv Kentucky 31) plants were exposed to 10 d of 0 (unstressed control), 100 and 200 mM NaCl treatments in a greenhouse, respectively. Salinity stress caused reductions in plant height, leaf fresh weight (LFW), leaf dry weight (LDW), and leaf water content (LWC), and increased Na+ concentration, but E + plants had significantly higher LFW, LDW, and LWC under both NaCl treatments and lower Na+ than E− plants under 200 mM NaCl. Salinity stress decreased K+ and Mg2+ and did not alter P, and increased Ca2+ in E + plants and caused no change in Ca2+ in E− plants; however, endophyte had no effects on these elements. Chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) remained unchanged in E + plants, but Fv/Fm was reduced and MDA level and enzyme activities were elevated in E− plants under 200 mM NaCl, where E + plants had significantly higher Fv/Fm and lower MDA, SOD, and APX activities than E− plants. Peroxidase activities increased in E + plants under 200 mM NaCl and in E− plants under both NaCl treatments. The results indicated that endophyte promoted salinity tolerance in tall fescue through maintaining higher growth and photochemical efficiency and lowering Na+ accumulation and lipid peroxidation. The significantly induced antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in E− plants suggested a possible enhanced oxidative injury in endophyte-free plants exposed to a high level of salinity stress.

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Acknowledgements

This research is supported by the Midwest Regional Turfgrass Foundation (Grant No. 2017) of Purdue University. Dr. Lu Pan is supported by the China Scholarship Council (Award No. 201608150091) for her visit at Purdue University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, 010018, China

    Lu Pan & Shimao Cui

  2. USDA-ARS, Forage-Animal Production Research Unit, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA

    Randy D. Dinkins

  3. Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Yiwei Jiang

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Pan, L., Cui, S., Dinkins, R.D. et al. Plant growth, ion accumulation, and antioxidant enzymes of endophyte-infected and endophyte-free tall fescue to salinity stress. Acta Physiol Plant 43, 95 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-021-03268-4

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