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Salinity Altered Profiles of Osmolytes in Atriplex prostrata (Chenopodiaceae) and Plantago coronopus (Plantaginaceae)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of salinity on the osmolytes (proline, glycinebetaine and sorbitol) in plants of Atriplex prostrata and Plantago coronopus. Collected seeds from Barranco Hondo (salt marshes, Jaen, Southern Spain) were grown in a growth chamber at concentration 0, 50, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl for 60 days in controlled conditions. Leaves were collected to carry out metabolic studies. A. prostrata showed a high germination and an optimum growth and only 200 and 300 mM by NaCl reduced the values, whereas P. coronopus showed a greater reduction in the growth, being more sensitive to salt stress. The leaves obtained of A. prostrata presented the proline as main osmolyte with significant changes where at 200 and 300 mM NaCl the increase was higher (4 and 10-fold compared to the control) followed by glycinebetaine. In the case of P. coronopus the proline was the predominant osmolyte, followed by sorbitol to a lesser extent. These results indicate that proline is used for both plants in the osmotic adjustment and protection of cellular structures being more efficient in the case of A. prostrata. The adaptive strategies of A. prostrata was increase the synthesis of proline and glycinebetaine and P. coronopus increased proline content and slightly sorbitol in order to survive better in saline conditions.

Milagros Bueno

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