We evaluated the contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to the growth, ion content, and solute accumulation of Leymus chinensis seedlings under salt–alkali stress and nitrogen deposition.

Ricinus communis is an important energy crop and is considered as one of the most potential plants for salt-alkali soil improvement in Northeast China. Early seedling stage (such as the cotyledon expansion stage) is always a vulnerable stage but plays a vital role in plant establishment, especially under stress conditions. However, little information exists concerning the function of cotyledon and the relationship between cotyledon and true leaf in the adaptation to salt stress and alkali stress of this species. Here, Ricinus communis seedlings were treated with varying (40, 80 and 120 mM) salinity (NaCl) and alkalinity (NaHCO3), growth, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll fluorescence of cotyledons and true leaves were measured. The results showed that the biomass, photosynthetic parameters, and the qp value of both cotyledons and true leaves decreased with increasing salt-alkali stress, and the decrease in biomass, gs and Tr, of true leaves were much greater than that of cotyledons. Salt-alkali stress only reduced photosynthetic pigments and ΦPSII in cotyledons, but did not affect those in true leaves. Additionally, the Fv/Fm and NPQ between cotyledons and true leaves showed different trends in salinity and alkalinity. The results suggested that alkali stress could cause much more damage to the castor bean seedlings, and different physiological responses and adaptive strategies are found in cotyledons and true leaves under salt-alkali stress. This study will help us develop a better understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of cotyledon and true leaf during early seedling stage of castor bean plant, and also provide new insights into the function of cotyledon in Ricinus communis under salt-alkali stress conditions.

Ryegrass is considered a useful grass species for forage production and turf purposes. Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)are two species of ryegrass with similar genomes. So far, little information exists concerning their physiological response to salt-alkali stress during germination stage, especially under different temperature regimes. Seeds of ryegrass were germinated at four alternating temperatures (10–20, 15–25, 20–30, and 25–35°C) with salinity (NaCl) and alkalinity (Na2CO3, high pH) stresses. Results showed that optimal germination for both species under stress conditions occurred at higher temperatures (20–30°C for annual ryegrass; 20–30°C and 25–35°C for perennial ryegrass). Germination percentage and germination rate were both inhibited by increasing salinity or alkalinity, particularly higher alkalinities under any temperature. The inhibitory effects of the high salinity on germination were greater at 10–20°C for both species. However, seeds were subjected to more stress at 25–35°C under alkali stress even though the concentration was very low. In addition, both high and low temperatures lead to a markedly decrease in seed germination under alkali stress for perennial ryegrass. Recovery percentage of both species were highest at 400 mM salinity and 25 mM alkalinity under any temperature, especially 10–20°C, and 25–35°C also resulted in lower recovery percentages under both stresses for ryegrass. Moreover, annual ryegrass had a much higher recovery percentage than perennial ryegrass under such stress conditions. These results suggest that salinity stress and alkalinity stress are greatly different, and the salt-alkaline tolerance of ryegrass seeds is greatly affected by the interactions of temperature and salinity–alkalinity.

No abstract