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Application of Xerophytophysiology and Signal Transduction in Plant Production: Partial Root-Zone Drying in Potato Crops

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Abstract

The irrigation method of partial root-zone drying (PRD) is based on drought stimulation without real water stress in order to induce xerophytophysiological signalling and regulations. In the present study, a series of measurements with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crops were conducted to understand the mechanisms underlying PRD. The results showed that PRD-induced osmotic adjustment shown by lower osmotic potential and higher turgor potential in fully turgid leaves and higher symplastic water fraction in cells. The PRD-induced osmotic adjustment was also confirmed by the active accumulation of osmolytes such as free proline, soluble sugars and soluble proteins. In PRD-treated potato plants, turgor maintenance by osmotic adjustment ensured improvements in photosynthetic activities, plant growth and final tuber yield. One of the signal substances, superoxide (O2−), was increased by PRD but soon eliminated by superoxide dismutase (SOD), which was activated by PRD along with catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD). As one of the stress-responsive genes, the aquaporin gene RD28 was upregulated by PRD and might explain the improved physiological activities associated with the abovementioned xerophytophysiological regulations.

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Funding

This research was partially supported by the Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund (Farmland Irrigation Research institute, CAAS FIRI2016-02); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31501358: Potato xerophytic physiological mechanism and functional analysis of key genes induced by partial root-zone drying) Key Laboratory of Crop Water Use and Regulation, China Ministry of Agriculture (CWRR201403); the Postdoctoral Scientific Research Foundation Programs of Heilongjiang provincial government (LRB10-624); and the National Key Research and Development Programs (2018YFD020080301).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virus-free Seedling Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150086, China

    Feifei Su, Yong Li, Shangwu Liu, Zhenyu Liu & Dianqiu Lyu

  2. Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences Postdoctoral Programme, Harbin, 150086, China

    Feifei Su

  3. International Nature Farming Research Center, Hata 5632, Matsumoto city, Nagano, 390-1401, Japan

    Shengjun Nie, Qicong Xu & Hui-lian Xu

  4. Peanut Institute, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Feifei Qin

  5. College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China

    Fenglan Li

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  1. Feifei Su
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Su, F., Li, Y., Liu, S. et al. Application of Xerophytophysiology and Signal Transduction in Plant Production: Partial Root-Zone Drying in Potato Crops. Potato Res. 63, 41–56 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-019-09427-y

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