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Foliar application of betaine improves water-deficit stress tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

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Abstract

A hydroponic experiment was carried out to study the alleviating effects of exogenous betaine on drought stress in barley seedlings (Hordeum vulgare L.) cv. ZJU9. Results showed that foliar applications of 500 µM betaine ameliorated drought-induced reductions in plant height, root length and root dry weight and improved chlorophyll contents and photosynthesis parameters, compared with seedlings given a drought alone treatment. In addition, exogenous betaine significantly increased root and leaf SOD, POD, APX and root CAT activities (cf. 15.5%/19.8%, 13.5%/7.9%, 10.0%/31.9%, 10.45%/11.3% higher than drought alone treatment), markedly reduced Na+ concentrations and elevated the K+/Na+ ratio in both shoots and roots by 39.0, 38.7, 50.7 and 42.6%. Also, betaine ameliorated drought-induced damage to leaf and root ultrastructure, effectively improving the stability and integrity of the nuclear membrane of root meristem cells and increased cell viability in roots tips. The results suggest that betaine alleviates drought-induced oxidative damage in plants via stimulating antioxidative enzyme activities and K uptake, and helps to maintain stability and integrity of the sub-cellular structure under drought stress.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31171488, 31620103912), and the Key Research Foundation of Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang Province of China (2016C02050-9-7). We thank Professor Paul Holford, from Western Sydney University of Australia, for his kind help in writing the manuscript and enlightening discussions.

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  1. Nanbo Wang and Fangbin Cao contributed equally to this study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Institute of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Nanbo Wang, Fangbin Cao, Marvin Eusi Ambrose Richmond, Chengwei Qiu & Feibo Wu

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  1. Nanbo Wang
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  2. Fangbin Cao
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  3. Marvin Eusi Ambrose Richmond
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  4. Chengwei Qiu
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  5. Feibo Wu
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Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: FBW. Performed the experiments: NBW, MEAR, CWQ, FBC. Analyzed the data: NBW FBW FBC. Wrote and revising the paper: NBW, FBC, FBW.

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Correspondence to Feibo Wu.

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Wang, N., Cao, F., Richmond, M.E.A. et al. Foliar application of betaine improves water-deficit stress tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Plant Growth Regul 89, 109–118 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-019-00510-5

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