Uniconazole Effect on Endogenous Hormones, Proteins and Proline Contents of Barley Plants (Hordeum Vulgare) Under Salinity Stress (Nacl)

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Uniconazole Effect on Endogenous Hormones, Proteins and Proline Contents of Barley Plants (Hordeum Vulgare) Under Salinity Stress (Nacl) NUSANTARA BIOSCIENCE ISSN: 2087-3948 Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 39-44 E-ISSN: 2087-3956 May 2014 DOI: 10.13057/nusbiosci/n060107 Uniconazole effect on endogenous hormones, proteins and proline contents of barley plants (Hordeum vulgare) under salinity stress (NaCl) MOHAMED A. BAKHETA1,♥, MOHAMED M. HUSSEIN2 1Department of Botany, National Research Centre, El Buhouth St. Dokki 12311, Giza, Cairo, Egypt. Tel.: +20-122340355 email: [email protected] 2Department of Water Relations and Irrigation, National Research Centre, El Buhouth St. Dokki 12311, Giza, Cairo, Egypt. Manuscript received: 3 September 2013. Revision accepted: 3 February 2014. Abstract. Bakheta MA, Hussein MM. 2014. Uniconazole effect on endogenous hormones, proteins and proline contents of barley plants (Hordeum vulgare) under salinity stress (NaCl). Nusantara Bioscience 6: 39-44. Pot experiments were carried out during two growth seasons 2010/2011 under greenhouse conditions of the National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt to investigate the response of barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L) grown under salinity stress (2500 or 5000 ppm) to spraying with solutions of uniconazole at 150 or 200 ppm. The obtained results showed that irrigation with saline solutions caused increases in the amounts of abscisic acid (ABA), crude protein, total soluble-protein, and proline contents. The results showed that spraying barley plants grown under saline solutions with uniconazole increased endogenous hormone contents of ABA, cytokinins, crude protein, total soluble protein, and proline but caused decreases in the amounts of endogenous indole acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA3). High protection of abscisic acid in treating plants with uniconazole and under salt stress (interaction effect) increases proline, proteins and soluble protein which has been proposed to act as compatible solutes that adjust the osmotic potential in the cytoplasm. Thus, these biochemical characters can be used as a metabolic marker in relation to salinity stress. Keywords: Barley, salinity, uniconazole, abscisic acid, indole acetic acid, gibberellic acid, proline INTRODUCTION physiology and metabolism of plants the cultivation of plants around the globe. Salt accumulation in irrigated soils Plants, growth and production are affected by natural is one of the main factors that diminish crop productivity, stresses in the form of biotic and abiotic stresses, inversely. since most of the plants are not halophytic (Jamal et al. The abiotic stress causes loss of hundred million dollars 2011). Salt stress induces various biochemical and annually, because of reduction and loss of products physiological responses in plants and affects almost all (Mahajan and Tuteja 2005). Salinity is the most important plant processes; salinity also induces water deficit limiting factor for crop production and it is becoming an biosynthesis, even in well-watered soils by decreasing the increasingly severe problem in many regions of the world. osmotic potential 1 the inhibition of gibberellic acid (Turan Plant’s behavioral response to salinity is complex and et al. 2009). different mechanisms are adopted by plants when they Uniconazole [(E)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4, 4-dimethyl-2- encounter salinity. The soil and water engineering methods (1, 2, 4-triazol-l-yl)-1-penten-3-ol] is a new plant growth increase farm production in the damaged soil by salinity, retardant in the triazole family. It inhibits gibberellin but achievement of higher purposes by these methods biosynthesis within the plant (Zhou and Leul 1999), seems to be very difficult (Yokoi et al. 2002). The high reduces the concentration of endogenous indole-3-acetic salinity of the soil affected the soil penetration, decreased acid, and increases the concentration of zeatin, ABA and the soil water potential and finally caused physiological ethylene (Izumi et al. 1988, Zhou and Leul 1999). Foliar drought (Yusuf et al. 2008). The plants under salinity application of uniconazole has been shown to retard leaf condition change their metabolism to overcome the elongation, improve tiller number and root growth. changed environmental condition. One mechanism utilized Uniconazole applied as a foliar spray at the three-leaf stage by the plants for overcoming the salt stress effects might be improved plant growth, including plant height, leaf size and via accumulation of compatible osmolytes, such as proline number, leaf area per plant and increased seed and oil and endogenous hormones. Production and accumulation of yields of winter rape compared to untreated plants (Leul free amino acids, especially proline by plant tissue during and Zhou 1998). It was also shown to enhance the plant drought, salt and water stress are an adaptive response. photosynthetic rate, soluble protein, and total sugar Proline has been proposed to act as a compatible solute that concentrations (Yang et al. 2005a, b). According to Gandee adjusts the osmotic potential in the cytoplasm. Thus, et al. (1997), Zhang et al. (2001), certain interactions proline can be used as a metabolic marker in relation to stress. existed between uniconazole and N fertilizer, which Since this soil salinity considers one among the several affected plant growth and yield formation. Our previous environmental stresses causing drastic changes in the growth, study also showed some interactions between uniconazole physiology, and metabolism of plants and threatening and different cultivars, sowing dates, planting densities, 40 NUSANTARA BIOSCIENCE 6 (1): 39-44, May 2014 and N application levels, which affected the yield extraction. The frozen material was homogenized in cold formation and enhancement (Yang et al. 2004). However, ethanol (85%) by an electric auto mix, then extracted by an the effect of uniconazole on grain proteins is uncertain and electric stirrer with 85% ethanol at about 0°C. The solvent available studies have not been reported. Exogenous was changed 3 times during the extraction period of 6 application uniconazole produced some benefit in hours. The 3 extracts after filtration, were combined alleviating the adverse effects of salt stress and they also together and concentrated under vacuum at 30-35°C to few improve germination, growth, fruit setting, fresh vegetable, mL which were kept in a deep freezer till required. and seed yields and yield quality (Bekheta 2009). The aqueous phase was adjusted to pH 8.8 by using The use of plant growth regulators is directed in NaOH (1%). The alkaline aqueous residue was shaken general, to improve yield quality and /or quantity of many three times with equal quantities of ethyl acetate using crops through regulating and adjusting the balance of separating funnel. The combined ethyl acetate fraction was endogenous hormone level in favors of normal physiological evaporated to dryness and held for further purification. The process and turn yield. The present investigation was aqueous fraction was acidified to pH 2.8 with HCl (1%) conducted to study the role of uniconazole in ameliorating and shaken three times with equal volumes of ethyl acetate. the adverse effects of salinity through its effects on the The remaining aqueous phase was discarded. The endogenous hormones and proline contents. combined acidic ethyl acetate phase was reduced in volume (fraction I) to be used for determination of the acidic hormones (gibberellins "GA3", auxins "IAA" and abscisic MATERIALS AND METHODS "ABA") by using GLC. The aqueous phase was adjusted to pH 5.5 with 1% NaOH and extracted three times with Pot experiments were carried out in the greenhouse of water-saturated n-butanol. All n-butanol phases were the National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt during combined (fraction II) and reduced to 5 mL volume, then two successive growing seasons (2009/2010 and stored at-20°C for cytokinins analysis using HPLC. 2010/2011). Naked barley grains (Hordeum vulgare L) were obtained from the Agricultural Research Center, Methylation of endogenous hormones Ministry of Agriculture. The grains were selected for Diazomethane was prepared from methylamine uniformity by choosing those of equal size and same color. hydrochloride according to the method described by Vogel The selected grains were washed with distilled water, (1975). Identification of endogenous hormone peaks: sterilized with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution for about 2 Identification of peaks was performed by comparing the min. and washed again with distilled water. Factorial relative retention time (RT) of each peak with those of experiment laid out in a randomized block design with nine IAA, GA3 and ABA standards. The relative properties of replicates. Ten days after sowing, the seedlings were the different individual components were therefore thinned to two seedlings per pot. In order to reduce obtained at various retention times on samples. The compaction and improve drainage, the soil was mixed with retention time (RT) of the peaks of authentic samples was yellow sand in a 1:1 proportion. Granular ammonium sulfate used in the identification and characterization of the peaks 20.5% N at a rate of 40 kg N ha-1 and single super-phosphate of samples under investigation (Shindy and Smith 1975). (15% P2O5) at a rate of 54 kg P2O5 ha-1 were added to each pot. The N and P fertilizers were mixed thoroughly into the Identification and determination of auxins, gibberellins, soil of each pot immediately before sowing. and abscisic acid The growth regulator used was uniconazole, a plant The retention time (RT) of the peaks of authentic growth retardant
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