Macronutrient chloride nutrition improves drought resistance by enhancing water deficit avoidance and tolerance mechanisms
2021
Franco Navarro, Juan de Dios | Díaz Rueda, Pablo | Rivero Núñez, Carlos M. | Brumós Fuente, Javier | Rubio Casal, Alfredo Emilio | Cires Segura, Alfonso de | Colmenero Flores, José Manuel | Rosales Villegas, Miguel Ángel | Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Chloride (Cl-), traditionally considered harmful for agriculture, has recently been defined as a beneficial macronutrient with specific roles that result in more efficient use of water (WUE), nitrogen (NUE), and CO2 in well-watered plants. When supplied in a beneficial range of 1-5 mM, Cl- increases leaf cell size, improves leaf osmoregulation, and reduces water consumption without impairing photosynthetic efficiency, resulting in overall higher WUE. Thus, adequate management of Cl- nutrition arises as a potential strategy to increase the ability of plants to withstand water deficit. To study the relationship between Cl- nutrition and drought resistance, tobacco plants treated with 0.5-5 mM Cl- salts were subjected to sustained water deficit (WD; 60% field capacity) and water deprivation/rehydration treatments, in comparison with plants treated with equivalent concentrations of nitrate, sulfate, and phosphate salts. The results showed that Cl- application reduced stress symptoms and improved plant growth during water deficit. Drought resistance promoted by Cl- nutrition resulted from the simultaneous occurrence of water deficit avoidance and tolerance mechanisms, which improved leaf turgor, water balance, photosynthesis performance, and WUE. Thus, it is proposed that beneficial Cl- levels increase the ability of crops to withstand drought, promoting a more sustainable and resilient agriculture.
Show more [+] Less [-]Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades AGL2015-71386-R, RTI2018- 094460-B-I00
Show more [+] Less [-]European Union 895613
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