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Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase plays a vital role in Achnatherum inebrians plants host to Epichloë gansuensis by improving growth under nitrogen deficiency

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Abstract

Background and aims

Low nitrogen negatively affects soil fertility and plant productivity. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and Epichloë gansuensis endophytes are two factors that are associated with tolerance of Achnatherum inebrians to abiotic stress. However, the possibility that E. gansuensis interacts with G6PDH in enhancing low nitrogen tolerance of host grasses has not been examined.

Methods

A. inebrians plants with (E+) and without E. gansuensis (E−) were subjected to different nitrogen concentration treatments (0.1, 1, and 7.5 mM). After 90 days, physiological studies were carried out to investigate the participation of G6PDH in the adaption of host plants to low nitrogen availability.

Results

Low nitrogen retarded the growth of A. inebrians. E+ plants had higher total dry weight, chlorophyll a and b contents, net photosynthesis rate, G6PDH activity, and GSH content, while having lower plasma membrane (PM) NADPH oxidase activity, NADPH/NADP+ ratios, and MDA and H2O2 than in E− A. inebrians plants under low nitrogen concentration.

Conclusions

The presence of E. gansuensis played a key role in maintaining the growth of the A. inebrians plants under low nitrogen concentration by regulating G6PDH activity and the NADPH/NADP+ ratio and improving net photosynthesis rate.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Xingxu Zhang, Chao Xia, Shan Xu, and Yane Guo for their help and advice during the preliminary stages of this project.

Funding

This research was financially supported by National Basic Research Program of China (2014CB138702) and the National Nature Science Foundation of China (31772665), and the Open Foundation of Research Institute of Qilian Mountains, Lanzhou University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, Gansu, China

    Jianfeng Wang, Zhibiao Nan & Chunjie Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, China, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, Gansu, China

    Jianfeng Wang, Zhibiao Nan & Chunjie Li

  3. AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11-008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand

    Michael J. Christensen

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  1. Jianfeng Wang
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  2. Zhibiao Nan
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  4. Chunjie Li
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Contributions

Designed the research: Jianfeng Wang and Zhibiao Nan. Performed the research: Jianfeng Wang and Zhibiao Nan. Analyzed the data: Jianfeng Wang and Zhibiao Nan. Wrote the paper: Jianfeng Wang, Zhibiao Nan, Michael Christensen, and Chunjie Li.

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Correspondence to Zhibiao Nan.

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Wang, J., Nan, Z., Christensen, M.J. et al. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase plays a vital role in Achnatherum inebrians plants host to Epichloë gansuensis by improving growth under nitrogen deficiency. Plant Soil 430, 37–48 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3710-x

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