Abstract
Strigolactones (SLs) are newly identified unique class of sesquiterpenoid phytohormones. Their role in seed germination and seedling growth and development is yet to be elucidated. As we know that the germination of seed is critical phase in a plant’s life cycle. Therefore, the present experiment aimed to study the function of strigolactone (GR24) in the regulation of physiological and biochemical mechanisms related to seed germination, and the growth and development of five tomato genotypes viz. Crystal Select (V1), Super Strain-B (V2), Riogrand (V3), Tomate Tres Cantos (V4) and Tomato Strain-8 (V5). In the present studies, we conducted two experiment (1) Petri dish experiment for the study of germination attributes and (2) pot experiment for growth and physio-biochemical study. Different concentrations of SL were directly supplied to the Petri dishes for seed germination. Basal doses of SL were supplied to seedlings grown in pots. Increasing levels of SL triggered the germination potential of all genotypes of tomato by increasing the activity of alpha-amylase (α-A) activity and protease (Ptase). The concertation of 0.20 μM of SL increased α-A activity, Ptase activity, germination %, germination index, vigor index by 54.54%, 53.82%, 21.63%, 60.31% and 302.39%, respectively, as compared to respective controls. Among the treatments and genotypes, 0.20 μM of SL and cultivar V3 proved best by producing maximum values for these attributes. Similarly, increasing levels of SL increased growth parameters (shoot and root length, shoot and root fresh weight, and shoot and root dry weight) and physio-biochemical characteristics [Chlorophyll (Chl) a and b, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, internal CO2 concertation, carbonic anhydrase activity, proline (Pro) and total soluble carbohydrates (TSC) content, and activity of pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase]. It may be concluded that exogenous SL improved germination potential by stimulating α-A activity and Ptase, and plant growth and development by increasing biosynthesis of Chl, Pro and TSC, photosynthesis process, and nitrogen assimilation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agusti J, Herold S, Schwarz M, Sanchez P, Ljung K, Dun EA, Brewer PB, Beveridge CA, Sieberer T, Sehr EM, Greb T (2011) Strigolactone signaling is required for auxin-dependent stimulation of secondary growth in plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108(50):20242–20247. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1111902108
Ahammed GJ, Gantait S, Mitra M, Yang Y, Li X (2020a) Role of ethylene crosstalk in seed germination and early seedling development: a review. Plant Physiol Biochem 151:124–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.03.016
Ahammed GJ, Li Y, Cheng Y, Liu A, Chen S, Li X (2020b) Abscisic acid and gibberellins act antagonistically to mediate epigallocatechin-3-gallate-retarded seed germination and early seedling growth in tomato. J Plant Growth Regul 39:1414–1424
Akiyama K, Hayashi H (2006) Strigolactones: chemical signals for fungal symbionts and parasitic weeds in plant roots. Ann Bot 97(6):925–931. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcl063
Alamri S, Siddiqui MH, Mukherjee S, Kumar R, Kalaji HM, Irfan M, Minkina T, Rajput VD (2022) Molybdenum-induced endogenous nitric oxide (NO) signaling coordinately enhances resilience through chlorophyll metabolism, osmolyte accumulation and antioxidant system in arsenate stressed-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings. Environ Pollut 292(Pt A):118268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118268
Andreo-Jimenez B, Ruyter-Spira C, Bouwmeester HJ, Lopez-Raez JA (2015) Ecological relevance of strigolactones in nutrient uptake and other abiotic stresses, and in plant-microbe interactions below-ground. Plant Soil 394(1–2):1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2544-z
Bates LS, Walden RP, Teare ID (1972) Rapid determination of free proline for water stress studies. Plant Soil 39(1):205–207
Bonfante P, Genre A (2010) Mechanisms underlying beneficial plant-fungus interactions in mycorrhizal symbiosis. Nat Commun 1:48. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1046
Burton-Freeman B, Reimers K (2011) Tomato consumption and health: emerging benefits. State of the Art 5:182–191
Cao T, Xie P, Ni L, Wu A, Zhang M, Xu J (2008) Relationships among the contents of total phenolics, soluble carbohydrate, and free amino acids of 15 aquatic macrophytes. J Freshw Ecol 23:291–296
Chou Q, Cao T, Ni L, Xie P, Jeppesen E (2019) Leaf soluble carbohydrates, free amino acids, starch, total phenolics, carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry of 24 aquatic macrophyte species along climate gradients in China. Front Plant Sci 10:442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00442
Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Smith F (1956) Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem 28(3):350–356. https://doi.org/10.1021/ac60111a017
Dwivedi RS, Randhawa NS (1974) Evaluation of a rapid test for hidden hunger of zinc in plants. Plant Soil 40(2):445–451. https://doi.org/10.1007/Bf00011531
Espie GS, Kimber MS (2011) Carboxysomes: cyanobacterial RubisCO comes in small packages. Photosynth Res 109(1–3):7–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-011-9656-y
Foo E (2013) Auxin influences strigolactones in pea mycorrhizal symbiosis. J Plant Physiol 170(5):523–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2012.11.002
Ge S, He L, Jin L, Xia X, Li L, Ahammed GJ, Qi Z, Yu J, Zhou Y (2022) Light-dependent activation of HY5 promotes mycorrhizal symbiosis in tomato by systemically regulating strigolactone biosynthesis. New Phytol 233(4):1900–1914. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17883
Ghanti KKS, Sujata KG, Kumar BMV, Karba NN, Reddy KJ, Rao MS, Kishor K (2011) Heterologous expression of P5CS gene in chickpea enhances salt tolerance without affecting yield. Biol Plant 55:634–640. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-011-0161-0
Gomez KA, Gomez AA (1984) Statistical Procedures for Agricultural Research. 2nd edn. J. Wiley and Sons, New York
Haider I, Andreo-Jimenez B, Bruno M, Bimbo A, Flokova K, Abuauf H, Ntui VO, Guo XJ, Charnikhova T, Al-Babili S, Bouwmeester HJ, Ruyter-Spira C (2018) The interaction of strigolactones with abscisic acid during the drought response in rice. J Exp Bot 69(9):2403–2414. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ery089
Hayward A, Stirnberg P, Beveridge C, Leyser O (2009) Interactions between auxin and strigolactone in shoot branching control. Plant Physiol 151:400–412
Hu H, Rappel W-J, Occhipinti R, Ries A, Böhmer M, You L, Xiao C, Engineer CB, Boron WF, Schroeder JI (2015) Distinct cellular locations of carbonic anhydrases mediate CO2 control of stomatal movements. Plant Physiol 169(2):1168–1178
Ito S, Yamagami D, Umehara M, Hanada A, Yoshida S, Sasaki Y, Yajima S, Kyozuka J, Ueguchi-Tanaka M, Matsuoka M, Shirasu K, Yamaguchi S, Asami T (2017) Regulation of strigolactone biosynthesis by gibberellin signaling. Plant Physiol 174(2):1250–1259. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.17.00301
Jamil M, Kountche BA, Wang JY, Haider I, Jia KP, Takahashi I, Ota T, Asami T, Al-Babili S (2020) A new series of carlactonoic acid based strigolactone analogs for fundamental and applied research. Front Plant Sci 11:434. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00434
Jaworski EG (1971) Nitrate reductase assay in intact plant tissues. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 43(6):1274–2000. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-291x(71)80010-4
Joshi R (2018) Role of enzymes in seed germination. Int J Creat Res Thoughts 6:1481–1485
Kapulnik Y, Delaux PM, Resnick N, Mayzlish-Gati E, Wininger S, Bhattacharya C, Sejalon-Delmas N, Combier JP, Becard G, Belausov E, Beeckman T, Dor E, Hershenhorn J, Koltai H (2011) Strigolactones affect lateral root formation and root-hair elongation in Arabidopsis. Planta 233(1):209–216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-010-1310-y
Khan MN, Alamri S, Al-Amri AA, Alsubaie QD, Al-Munqedi B, Ali HM, Singh VP, Siddiqui MH (2021) Effect of nitric oxide on seed germination and seedling development of tomato under chromium toxicity. J Plant Growth Regul 40:2358–2370
Kishor PBK, Kumari PH, Sunita MSL, Sreenivasulu N (2015) Role of proline in cell wall synthesis and plant development and its implications in plant ontogeny. Front Plant Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2015.00544
Koltai H, Matusova R, Kapulnik Y (2012) Strigolactones in root exudates as a signal in symbiotic and parasitic interactions. In: Vivanco J, Baluška F (eds) Secretions and exudates in biological systems. Signaling and communication in plants, vol 12. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23047-9_3
Kramna B, Prerostova S, Vankova R (2019) Strigolactones in an experimental context. Plant Growth Regul 88:113–128
Kumar S, Sharma JG, Chakrabarti R (2000) Quantitative estimation of proteolytic enzyme and ultrastructural study of anterior part of intestine of Indian major carp (Catla catla) larvae during ontogenesis. Curr Sci India 79:1007–1011
Lawlor DW (1996) Photosynthesis, productivity and environment. J Exp Bot 1995(46):1449–1461
Li H, Guo Y, Lan Z, Zhang Z, Ahammed GJ, Chang J, Zhang Y, Wei C, Zhang X (2021) Melatonin antagonizes ABA action to promote seed germination by regulating Ca(2+) efflux and H(2)O(2) accumulation. Plant Sci 303:110761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110761
Ling F, Su Q, Jiang H, Cui J, He X, Wu Z, Zhang Z, Liu J, Zhao Y (2020) Effects of strigolactone on photosynthetic and physiological characteristics in salt-stressed rice seedlings. Sci Rep 10(1):6183. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63352-6
Lopez-Raez JA, Kohlen W, Charnikhova T, Mulder P, Undas AK, Sergeant MJ, Verstappen F, Bugg TD, Thompson AJ, Ruyter-Spira C, Bouwmeester HJ (2010) Does abscisic acid affect strigolactone biosynthesis? New Phytol 187:343–354
Ma N, Hu C, Wan L, Hu Q, Xiong JL, Zhang CL (2017) Strigolactones improve plant growth, photosynthesis, and alleviate oxidative stress under salinity in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) by regulating gene expression. Front Plant Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.01671
Marro N, Lidoy J, Chico MA, Rial C, Garcia J, Varela RM, Macias FA, Pozo MJ, Janouskova M, Lopez-Raez JA (2022) Strigolactones: new players in the nitrogen-phosphorus signalling interplay. Plant Cell Environ 45(2):512–527. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14212
Mashiguchi K, Sasaki E, Shimada Y, Nagae M, Ueno K, Nakano T, Yoneyama K, Suzuki Y, Asami T (2009) Feedback-regulation of strigolactone biosynthetic genes and strigolactone-related genes in Arabidopsis. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 73:2460–2465
Mokhele B, Zhan XD, Yang G, Zhang X (2012) Review: nitrogen assimilation in crop plants and its affecting factors. Can J Plant Sci 92:399–405
Ni M, Lin W, Wei Z, Hong-fang L, Jun L, Chun-lei Z (2020) Exogenous strigolactones promote lateral root growth by reducing the endogenous auxin level in rapeseed. J Integr Agric 19(2):465–482
Pandey A, Sharma M, Pandey GK (2016) Emerging roles of strigolactones in plant responses to stress and development. Front Plant Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.00434
Rameau C, Goormachtig S, Cardinale F, Bennett T, Cubas P (2019) Strigolactones as plant hormones. Strigolactones—biology and applications. Springer Nature, Switzerland AG
Rehman NU, Li X, Zeng P, Guo S, Jan S, Liu Y, Huang Y, Xie Q (2021) Harmony but not uniformity: role of strigolactone in plants. Biomolecules. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11111616
Roitsch T (1999) Source–sink regulationby sugar and stress. Curr Opin Plant Biol 2:198–206
Sawhney SK, Naik MS (1973) Effect of chloramphenicol andcycloheximide on the synthesis of nitrate reductase and nitritereductase in rice leaves. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 51:67–73
Sethy SK, Ghosh S (2013) Effect of heavy metals on germination of seeds. J Nat Sci Biol Med 4(2):272–275. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-9668.116964
Shaw JF, Lin FP, Chen SC, Chen CC (1995) Purification and properties of an extracellular α-amylase from Thermus sp. Bot Bull Acad Sin 36:195–200
Siddiqui MH, Al-Whaibi MH (2014) Role of nano-SiO2 in germination of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum seeds Mill.). Saudi J Biol Sci 21(1):13–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2013.04.005
Siddiqui MH, Mohammad F, Khan MN (2009) Morphological and physio-biochemical characterization of Brassica juncea L. Czern. & Coss. genotypes under salt stress. J Plant Interact 4(1):67–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/17429140802227992
Siddiqui MH, Mohammad F, Khan MMA, Al-Whaibi MH (2012) Cumulative effect of nitrogen and sulphur on Brassica juncea L. genotypes under NaCl stress. Protoplasma 249(1):139–153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-011-0273-6
Siddiqui MH, Al-Whaibi MH, Sakran AM, Ali HM, Basalah MO, Faisal M, Alatar A, Al-Amri AA (2013) Calcium-induced amelioration of boron toxicity in radish. J Plant Growth Regul 32(1):61–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-012-9276-6
Siddiqui MH, Alamri S, Al-Khaishany MY, Khan MN, Al-Amri A, Ali HM, Alaraidh IA, Alsahli AA (2019) Exogenous melatonin counteracts NaCl-induced damage by regulating the antioxidant system, proline and carbohydrates metabolism in tomato seedlings. Int J Mol Sci. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20020353
Smith BW, Roe JH (1949) A photometric method for the determination of a-amylase in blood and urine with the use of the starch-iodine color. J Biol Chem 179:53–59
Stirnberg P, Ward S, Leyser O (2010) Auxin and strigolactones in shoot branching: intimately connected? Biochem Soc Trans 38(2):717–722. https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0380717
Sumithra K, Jutur PP, Carmel BD, Reddy AR (2006) Salinity-induced changes in two cultivars of Vigna radiata: responses of antioxidative and proline metabolism. Plant Growth Regul 50(1):11–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-006-9121-7
Sun H, Li W, Burritt DJ, Tian H, Zhang H, Liang X, Miao Y, Mostofa MG, Tran LSP (2022) Strigolactones interact with other phytohormones to modulate plant root growth and development. Crop J. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2022.07.014
Tao KL, Zheng GH (1990) Seed vigour. Science Press, Beijing
Toh S, McCourt P, Tsuchiya Y (2012) HY5 is involved in strigolactone-dependent seed germination in Arabidopsis. Plant Signal Behav 7(5):556–558
Urquhart S, Foo E, Reid JB (2015) The role of strigolactones in photomorphogenesis of pea is limited to adventitious rooting. Physiol Plant 153(3):392–402. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.12246
Vashisth A, Nagarajan S (2010) Effect on germination and early growth characteristics in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds exposed to static magnetic field. J Plant Physiol 167(2):149–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2009.08.011
Wallner ES, Lopez-Salmeron V, Greb T (2016) Strigolactone versus gibberellin signaling: reemerging concepts? Planta 243(6):1339–1350. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-016-2478-6
Wani KI, Zehra A, Choudhary S, Naeem M, Khan MMA, Khan R, Aftab T (2022) Exogenous strigolactone (GR24) positively regulates growth, photosynthesis, and improves glandular trichome attributes for enhanced artemisinin production in Artemisia annua. J Plant Growth Regul. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10654-w
Wu X, Ning F, Hu X, Wang W (2017) Genetic modification for improving seed vigor is transitioning from model plants to crop plants. Front Plant Sci 8(8):1–7
Xiong G, Li J, Smith SM (2016) Evolution of strigolactone perception by seeds of parasitic plants: reinventing the wheel. Mol Plant 9(4):493–495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2016.01.010
Xu B, Yu JY, Zhong YS, Guo YY, Ding J, Chen YH, Wang G (2019) Influence of Br 24 and Gr24 on the accumulation and uptake of Cd and As by rice seedlings grown in nutrient solution. Pol J Environ Stud 28(5):3951–3958. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/95036
Yang Y, Gu M, Chen J, Zhang R, Liu Z, Shi Y, Liu D, Wang L (2022) Comparative transcriptomes reveal the mitigation effect of GR24 in alfalfa under drought stress. J Plant Growth Regul. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-022-10779-y
Yoneyama K, Brewer PB (2021) Strigolactones, how are they synthesized to regulate plant growth and development? Curr Opin Plant Biol 63:102072
Zha M, Zhao Y, Wang Y, Chen B, Tan Z (2022) Strigolactones and cytokinin interaction in buds in the control of rice tillering. Front Plant Sci 13:837136. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.837136
Zhang Q, Gong M, Xu X, Li H, Deng W (2022) Roles of auxin in the growth, development, and stress tolerance of horticultural plants. Cells. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11172761
Zhao Y (2010) Auxin biosynthesis and its role in plant development. Annu Rev Plant Biol 61:49–64. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-042809-112308
Zulfiqar H, Shahbaz M, Ahsan M, Nafees M, Nadeem H, Akram M, Maqsood A, Ahmar S, Kamran M, Alamri S, Siddiqui MH, Saud S, Fahad S (2021) Strigolactone (GR24) Induced salinity tolerance in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) by ameliorating morpho-physiological and biochemical attributes under In vitro conditions. J Plant Growth Regul 40:2079–2091
Zwanenburg B, Pospisil T (2013) Structure and activity of strigolactones: new plant hormones with a rich future. Mol Plant 6(1):38–62. https://doi.org/10.1093/mp/sss141
Acknowledgements
The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through the project number IFKSURG-2-1380
Funding
This study was supported by the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through the project number IFKSURG-2-1380.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
AAA has contributed in the major bench experiments. MHS and SA, equally designed the experiments. QDA has performed data compilation. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The co-authors have no competing interests to declare with respect to the current study.
Additional information
Handling Editor: Parvaiz Ahmad.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Amri, A.A., Alsubaie, Q.D., Alamri, S.A. et al. Strigolactone Analog GR24 Induces Seed Germination and Improves Growth Performance of Different Genotypes of Tomato. J Plant Growth Regul 42, 5653–5666 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-10947-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-10947-8