Overexpression of PpSnRK1α in tomato enhanced salt tolerance by regulating ABA signaling pathway and reactive oxygen metabolism.

BACKGROUND: SNF-related Kinase 1 (SnRK1) is a key component of the cell signaling network. SnRK1 is known to respond to a wide variety of stresses, but its exact role in salt stress response and tolerance is still largely unknown. RESULTS: In this study, we reported that overexpression of the gene encoding the α subunit of Prunus persica SnRK1 (PpSnRK1α) in tomato could improve salt stress tolerance. The increase in salt stress tolerance in PpSnRK1α-overexpressing plants was found to correlate with increased PpSnRK1α expression level and SnRK1 kinase activity. And PpSnRK1α overexpression lines exhibited a lower level of leaf damage as well as increased proline content and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) compared with wild-type (WT) lines under salt stress. Furthermore, PpSnRK1α enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism by increasing the expression level of antioxidase genes and antioxidant enzyme activities. We further sequenced the transcriptomes of the WT and three PpSnRK1α overexpression lines using RNA-seq and identified about 1000 PpSnRK1α-regulated genes, including many antioxidant enzymes, and these genes were clearly enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway (plant), plant-pathogen interactions and plant hormone signaling transduction and can respond to stimuli, metabolic processes, and biological regulation. Furthermore, we identified the transcriptional levels of several salt stress-responsive genes, SlPP2C37, SlPYL4, SlPYL8, SlNAC022, SlNAC042, and SlSnRK2 family were altered significantly by PpSnRK1α, signifying that SnRK1α may be involved in the ABA signaling pathway to improve tomato salt tolerance. Overall, these findings provided new evidence for the underlying mechanism of SnRK1α conferment in plant salt tolerance phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that plant salt stress resistance can be affected by the regulation of the SnRK1α. Further molecular and genetic approaches will accelerate our knowledge of PpSnRK1α functions, and inform the genetic improvement of salt tolerance in tomato through genetic engineering and other related strategies.

[Research progress of cover crop in Chinese orchard].

Grass growing in orchard is implemented in most fruit cultivation advanced countries, but only China carries out grass weeding. To effectively resolve the puzzle on harmful or beneficial effect on fruit production imparted by grass growing, and promote grass growing management in orchard in China, more and more domestic research was reported in recent years. Combined the results of our research and domestic related research, we reviewed the latest research progress about the effect of growing grass on soil, microclimate, fruit tree diseases and insect pests, tree growth and fruit quali- ty, etc. in this paper. We pointed out that grass growing in orchard must consider the local conditions, economic efficiency, the critical period, and the supporting technique.

[Characteristics of urea 15N absorption, allocation, and utilization by sweet-cherry (Prunus avium L.)].

With five-year old 'Zaodaguo' sweet-cherry (Prunus avium L.) as test material, this paper studied the characteristics of its urea 15N absorption, allocation, and utilization when applied before bud-break. The results showed that the Ndff of different organs increased gradually with time, and was higher in fine roots and storage organs at full-blooming stage. At fruit core-hardening stage, the Ndff of long shoots and leaves increased quickly, reaching to 0.72% and 0.59% , respectively. From fruit core-hardening to harvesting stage, the Ndff of fruit had a rapid increase, with the peak (1.78%) at harvesting stage. After harvest, the Ndff of neonatal organs increased slowly while that of storage organs increased quickly. At full-blooming stage, the absorbed 15N in roots was firstly allocated to storage organs, with the highest allocation rate (54.91%) in large roots. At fruit core-hardening stage, the allocation rate in fine roots and storage organs decreased from 85.43% to 55.11%, while that in neonatal branches and leaves increased to 44.89%. At harvesting stage, the allocation rate in different organs had no significant change, but after harvest, the absorbed 15N had a rapid translocation to storage organs, and the allocation rate in fine roots and storage organs reached the highest (72.26%) at flower bud differentiation stage. The 15N allocation rate in neonatal branches and leaves at flower bud differentiation stage was decreased by 19.31%, compared with that at harvesting stage. From full-blooming to flower bud differentiation stage, the utilization rate of urea 15N was increasing, and reached the peak (16.86%) at flower bud differentiation stage.

[Absorption and utilization of different applied nitrogen forms by winter jujube].

With pot experiment, this paper studied the absorption and utilization of applied urea N, Gly N and Glu N by two years old winter jujube. The results showed that all of the three N forms could be absorbed by the winter jujube, but the absorption rate of Gly N and Glu N was less than that of urea N. Taking the absorption rate of urea N as 100%, the relative absorption rate of Gly N and Glu N by jujube leaves was 28.88% and 11.73%, respectively, and the absorbed N was mainly allocated to the leaves and neonatal branches. Jujube roots could absorb 50.48% of Gly N and 42.72% of Glu N. The transaminase activity and soluble protein content in jujube leaves were increased after the application of these three N forms, but the leaf nitrate reductase activity was enhanced significantly by urea N, decreased by Gly N, and less affected by Glu N. Compared with urea N, amino acid N could significantly increase the number of colored fruits and their colored area, as well as the content of fruit soluble solid matter.