Physiological Response Characteristics in Medicago sativa Under Freeze-Thaw and Deicing Salt Stress

Dongmu-1 Medicago sativa seedlings were used as the test material; the variation characteristics soluble protein, soluble sugar, malondialdehyde, proline, chlorophyll, and relative water content were studied under the artificial simulated freeze-thaw (10, 5, 0, − 3, 0, 5, and 10 °C) and combined with deicing salt stress and buffer. The results showed that freeze-thaw and high-salt stress conditions will lead to the damage in the seedling including the membrane system, lipid peroxidation, and severe dehydration. Because of the self-regulating system as well as a certain degree of resistance, the plants can accumulate plenty of substances such as soluble protein, soluble sugar, and proline so as to regulate the osmotic potential. The content of soluble protein, malondialdehyde, soluble sugar, and proline in different treatment groups rose first and then decreased within a freeze-thaw cycle, among which the content of soluble protein reached the maximum value at 0 °C (t3), 20.82, 18.96, and 17.97 mg/g, respectively. The figure for malondialdehyde and proline peaked at − 3 °C (t4) while soluble sugar content peaked at 0 °C (t5). However, during this period, there were no apparent regulations for chlorophyll content and relative water content in each treatment group. Beyond that, due to the different intensity of compound stress, the seedlings showed different adaptability, and the degree of changes in physiological indexes appeared to be combined freeze-thaw and deicing salt stress > single freeze-thaw stress > combined freeze-thaw, deicing salt stress, and buffer, illustrating that buffer can alleviate the degree of the damage from freeze-thaw and deicing salt stress on M. sativa seedlings to some extent.