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Title: Influence of salt stress on growth and antioxidant responses of two malus species at callus and plantlet stages

Author
item KAI, WANG - Northwest Agriculture And Forestry University
item LIXIN, ZHANG - Northwest Agriculture And Forestry University
item MEI, GAO - Northwest Agriculture And Forestry University
item LIXIA, LV - Northwest Agriculture And Forestry University
item YONGGUI, ZHAO - Northwest Agriculture And Forestry University
item LINSEN, ZHANG - Northwest Agriculture And Forestry University
item BINGZHI, LI - Northwest Agriculture And Forestry University
item MINGYU, HAN - Northwest Agriculture And Forestry University
item Alva, Ashok

Submitted to: Pakistan Journal of Botany
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/14/2014
Publication Date: 6/9/2014
Citation: Kai, W., Lixin, Z., Mei, G., Lixia, L., Yonggui, Z., Linsen, Z., Bingzhi, L., Mingyu, H., Alva, A.K. 2014. Influence of salt stress on growth and antioxidant responses of two malus species at callus and plantlet stages. Pakistan Journal of Botany. 45(2):375-381.

Interpretive Summary: Soil salinization has become a significant limiting factor for apple production in some area of China. Response to salinity stress (150 mmol/L Nacl) was evaluated using 15-day old callus or plantlets of a rootstock and scion (cv. Fuji)Enzymatic responses to exposure of callus or plantlets to salt stress included an increase in activities of dismutase(SOD), Peroxidase(PUD), glutathione reductase(GR), while decrease in catalase (CAT) in both rootstock and scion species. The negative effects of salinity were greater on callus as compared to that on plantlets. This study demostrated that evaluation of callus response to salinity stress provides a rapid test for screening a large pool of apple rootstock and scion for developing a suitable rootstock/scion combination that can withstand salinity stress.

Technical Abstract: Soil salinization has become a significant factor limiting apple (Malus domestica L.) production in some areas of China. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of salt stress i.e. 150 mmol/L NaCl in Murashige and Skoog medium on growth and antioxidant responses of 15-d old callus and plantlets of two Malus species i.e. rootstock Malus robusta Rehd (Rehd) and scion Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Fuji (Fuji) to determine the adaptive mechanism of their rootstock-scion combination to salinity. Salt stress caused an increase of activities of dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione reductase (GR) while a decrease/unchangeable of catalase (CAT) activity as well as an enhancement of contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide radicals (O2• -), resulting in an increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and a decrease of relative growth rate (RGR) in both callus and plantlets of two Malus species. The above negative effects of salinity on growth of callus was greater than that of plantlets. Under salinity stress, activities of SOD, POD, CAT and GR in plantlets of two Malus species were greater than those in callus. The activities and change pattern of these antioxidant enzymes were dependent on enzymes type and differentiation level of plant tissue. All the above results suggested that the antioxidant protection system in plantlets of both two Malus species was similar and more efficient by maintaining greater SOD, POD and GR activities resulting in less MDA accumulation and more tolerance to salt stress. It is well suggested that the tolerance to salinity of the two Malus species used in this study could be improved greatly with the development of plant tissue from callus into plantlets, and form a good combination of scion and rootstock of apple to adapt better to sallinity soil.