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Interactive effects of phosphorus supply and light intensity on glucosinolates in pakchoi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. communis)

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Abstract

The influences of phosphorus (P) supply levels (1.00 and 0.01 mM) and different light intensities (normal and 60% shading) on plant growth and glucosinolate (GS) concentrations were investigated in pakchoi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinesis (L.) Makino var. communis Tsen et Lee) plants grown in nutrient solution. Low light intensity significantly decreased the shoot and root growth, particularly under P sufficiency. P deficiency significantly decreased the shoot growth under normal light intensity, but did not significantly affect the root growth irrespective of the light intensity. The root/shoot ratio was increased by P deficiency and high light intensity. P deficiency largely increased the concentration of total GSs under normal light intensity by 164%, but this effect was not significant under low light intensity. However, the effects of P supply level and light intensity on seven individual GSs and three classes of GSs (aliphatic, aromatic and indolyl GSs) were quite different. The concentrations of gluconapin, glucobrassicanapin, glucobrassicin, neoglucobrassicin, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin and gluconasturtiin were increased by P deficiency, especially under normal light intensity resulting in increases of 122%, 497%, 352%, 115% and 225%, respectively. Low light intensity decreased the concentrations of gluconapin, glucobrassicanapin, glucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin under P deficiency condition, and increased the concentrations of glucobrassicin and 4-methoxyglucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin under P sufficiency condition. The ratios of aliphatic, aromatic and indolyl GSs to total GSs were not significantly affected by P supply level under low light intensity. However, under normal light intensity, P deficiency increased the ratio of aliphatic GSs to total GSs from 58% to 67%, at the expense of aromatic ones, and did not affect the ratio of indolyl GSs to total GSs. Altered concentrations of free amino acids (GS precursors) could not be related to changes of individual GSs. The concentration of sulfur in pakchoi shoots was not significantly affected by different P levels and light intensities. The results indicate a role of P and light, and their interaction, on the concentrations and profiles of GSs in the shoots of pakchoi plants. However, the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying this response await further investigation.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by Sino-German Center for Science Promotion (Grant GZ 051/10 (154)) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30871718). The authors thank Shi Y Z for elements concentration measurement (Tea Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Key Laboratory for Tea Chemistry of The Ministry of Agriculture of China) and the Chinese Academy of Forestry for free amino acid analysis. We would like to acknowledge valuable suggestions by the reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Huajiachi Campus, Kaixuan Road 268, Hangzhou, 310029, China

    Jing Yang & Zhujun Zhu

  2. Department of Horticulture, School of Agricultural and Food Science, Zhejiang Forestry University, Lin’an, 311300, China

    Zhujun Zhu

  3. Institute for Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, University of Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, 24118, Kiel, Germany

    Jóska Gerendás

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  1. Jing Yang
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Correspondence to Zhujun Zhu.

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Responsible Editor: Ismail Cakmak.

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Yang, J., Zhu, Z. & Gerendás, J. Interactive effects of phosphorus supply and light intensity on glucosinolates in pakchoi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. communis). Plant Soil 323, 323–333 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-9940-1

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