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The physiological responses of salinity stressed tomato plants to mycorrhizal infection and variation in rhizosphere carbon dioxide concentration

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This investigation was undertaken to determine whether elevated concentrations of dissolved inorganic
carbon (DIC) supplied to plant roots could improve plant growth and alleviate the effects of salinity stress
on tomato plants infected with arbuscular mycorrhizae. Lycopersicon esculentum cv. FI44 seedlings were
grown in hydroponic culture (pH 5.8) with 0 and 75 mM NaCI and with or without infection with the
fungus Glomus mosseae. The root solution was aerated with ambient CO2 (360 ppm) or elevated CO2 ( 5
000 ppm) concentrations. The arbuscular and hypha I components of mycorrhizal infection as well as the
percentages total infection were decreased or increased according to the variation in seasons. The plant dry
weight of mycorrhizal plants was increased by 30% compared to non-mycorrhizal plants at elevated
concentrations of CO2, while the dry weight was decreased by 68% at ambient CO2 concentrations.
Elevated CO2 also stimulated the growth of the mycorrhizal fungus. Elevated CO2 increased the plant dry
weight and stimulated fungal growth of mycorrhizal plants possibly by the provision of carbon due to the
incorporation of HCO)- by PEPc. Plant roots supplied with elevated concentrations of CO2 had a decreased
CO2 release rate compared to roots at ambient CO2. This decrease in CO2 release rate at elevated CO2 was
due to the increased incorporation of HC03- by PEPc activity. Under conditions of salinity stress plants had
a higher ratio of N03-: reduced N in the xylem sap compared to plants supplied with 0 mM NaCI. Under
salinity stress conditions, more N03- was transported in the xylem stream possibly because of the
production of more organic acids instead of amino acids due to low P conditions under which the plants
were grown. The N03· uptake rate of plants increased at elevated concentrations of CO2 in the absence of
salinity because the HCO)- could be used for the production of amino acids. In the presence of salinity,
carbon was possibly used for the production of organic acids that diverted carbon away from the synthesis
of amino acids. It was concluded that mycorrhizas were beneficial for plant growth under conditions of
salinity stress provided that there was an additional source of carbon. Arbuscular mycorrhizal infection did
not improve the nutrient uptake of hydroponically grown plants. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie was die effek van verhoogde konsentrasies opgeloste anorganiese koolstof wat aan plant
wortels verskaf is, getoets om te bepaal of dit die groei van plante kan verbeter asook of sout stres verlig
kon word in tamatie plante wat met arbuskulêre mikorrhizas geïnfekteer was. Lycorpersicon esculentum cv.
FJ44 saailinge was in water kultuur gegroei (pH 5.8) met 0 en 75 mM NaCI asook met of sonder infeksie
met die fungus Glomus mosseae. Die plant wortels was bespuit met normale CO2 (360 dele per miljoen
(dpm)) sowel as verhoogde CO2 (5 000 dpm) konsentrasies. Die arbuskulere en hife komponente, sowel as
die persentasie infeksie was vermeerder of verminder na gelang van die verandering in seisoen. Die plant
droë massa van mikorrhiza geïnfekteerde plante by verhoogde CO2 konsentrasies was verhoog met 30% in
vergelyking met plante wat nie geïnfekteer was nie, terwyl die droë massa met 68% afgeneem het by
gewone CO2 konsentrasies. Verhoogde CO2 konsentrasies het moontlik die plant droë massa en die groei
van die fungus verbeter deur koolstof te verskaf as gevolg van die vaslegging van HCO)- deur die werking
van PEP karboksilase. Plant wortels wat met verhoogde CO2 konsentrasies bespuit was, het 'n verlaagde
CO2 vrystelling getoon in vergelyking met die wortels by normale CO2 vlakke. Die vermindering in CO2
vrystelling van wortels by verhoogde CO2 was die gevolg van die vaslegging van HC03- deur PEPk
aktiwiteit. Onder toestande van sout stres, het plante 'n groter hoeveelheid N03- gereduseerde N in die
xileemsap bevat in vergelyking met plante wat onder geen sout stres was nie, asook meer NO)- was in die
xileemsap vervoer moontlik omdat meer organiese sure geproduseer was ten koste van amino sure. Dit was
die moontlike gevolg omdat die plante onder lae P toestande gegroei het. Die tempo van NO.; opname was
verhoog onder verhoogde CO2 konsentrasies en in die afwesigheid van sout stres omdat die HCO)- vir die
produksie van amino sure gebruik was. In die teenwoordigheid van sout was koolstof moontlik gebruik om
organiese sure te vervaardig wat koolstof weggeneem het van die vervaardiging van amino sure. Daar is tot
die slotsom gekom dat mikorrhizas voordelig is vir die groei van plante onder toestande van sout stres mits
daar 'n addisionele bron van koolstof teenwoordig is. Arbuskulere mikorrhiza infeksie het 'n geringe
invloed gehad op die opname van voedingstowwe van plante wat in waterkultuur gegroei was.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52002
Date12 1900
CreatorsLintnaar, Melissa
ContributorsValentine, A. J., Cramer, M. D., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Botany and Zoology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format69 p. : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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