Alleviation of Zn toxicity by low water availability. Issue 3 (12th October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Disante, Karen B.; Cortina, Jordi; Vilagrosa, Alberto; Fuentes, David; Hernández, Encarni I.; Ljung, Karin
• Is Part Of: Physiologia plantarum. Volume 150:Issue 3(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 412
• Page End: 424
• Publication Date: 2013-10-12
• Subjects: Plant physiology -- Periodicals; 571.2
• DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12095
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-9317

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ppl12095-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p id="ppl12095-para-0001">Heavy metal contamination and drought are expected to increase in large areas worldwide. However, their combined effect on plant performance has been scantly analyzed. This study examines the effect of Zn supply at different water availabilities on morpho‐physiological traits of <italic>Quercus suber</italic> L. in order to analyze the combined effects of both stresses. Seedlings were treated with four levels of zinc from 3 to 150 µ<italic>M</italic> and exposed to low watering (LW) or high watering (HW) frequency in hydroponic culture, using a growth chamber. Under both watering regimes, Zn concentration in leaves and roots increased with Zn increment in nutrient solution. Nevertheless, at the highest Zn doses, Zn tissue concentrations were almost twice in HW than in LW seedlings. Functional traits as leaf photosynthetic rate and root hydraulic conductivity, and morphological traits as root length and root biomass decreased significantly in response to Zn supply. Auxin levels increased with Zn concentrations, suggesting the involvement of this phytohormone in the seedling response to this element. LW seedlings exposed to 150 µ<italic>M</italic> Zn showed higher root length and root biomass than HW seedlings exposed to the same Zn dose. Our results suggest that low water availability could mitigate Zn toxicity by limiting internal accumulation. Morphological traits involved in the response to both stresses probably contributed to this response.</p> </abstract>