Increased cucumber salt tolerance by grafting on pumpkin rootstock and after application of calcium.

Lei, B.; Huang, Y.; Xie, J.; Liu, Z.; Zhen, A.; Fan, M.; Bie, Z.

Self-grafted and pumpkin rootstock-grafted cucumber plants were subjected to the following four treatments: 1) aerated nutrient solution alone (control), 2) nutrient solution with 10 mM Ca(NO) (Ca), 3) nutrient solution with 90 mM NaCl (NaCl), and 4) nutrient solution with 90 mM NaCl 10 mM Ca(NO) (NaCl Ca). The NaCl treatment decreased the plant dry mass and content of Ca and K but increased the Na content in roots and shoots. Smaller changes were observed in pumpkin rootstock-grafted plants. Supplementary Ca(NO) ameliorated the negative effects of NaCl on plant dry mass, relative growth rate (RGR), as well as Ca, K, and Na content especially for pumpkin rootstock-grafted plants. Supplementary Ca(NO) distinctly stimulated the plasma membrane (PM) H-ATPase activity which supplies the energy to remove excess Na from the cells. The expressions of gene encoding PM H-ATPases ( PMA) and gene encoding a PM Na/H antiporter ( SOS1) were up-regulated when Ca(NO) was applied. The pumpkin rootstock-grafted plants had higher PM H-ATPase activity as well as higher PMA and SOS1 expressions than the self-grafted plants under NaCl Ca treatment. Therefore, the addition of Ca in combination with pumpkin rootstock grafting is a powerful way to increase cucumber salt tolerance.

COMPOSITION of cucumbers; ROOTSTOCKS; EFFECT of salt on plants; PUMPKINS; PLANT nutrients; SOLUTION (Chemistry); CALCIUM ions

Biologia Plantarum, 2014, Vol 58, Issue 1, p179

0006-3134

Academic Journal

10.1007/s10535-013-0349-6