Effects of salinity on photosynthetic traits, ion homeostasis and nitrogen metabolism in wild and cultivated soybean

BACKGROUND: Carbon and nitrogen metabolism need to be highly regulated to achieve cell acclimation to changing environmental conditions. The understanding of physio-biochemical responses of crops to salinity stress could help to stabilize their performance and yield. In this study we have analyzed the roles of photosynthesis, ion physiology and nitrate assimilation toward saline/alkaline stress acclimation in wild and cultivated soybean seedlings. METHODS: Growth and photosynthetic parameters, ion concentrations and the activity of enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation were determined in seedlings of one wild and one cultivated soybean accession subjected to saline or alkaline stresses. RESULTS: Both saline and alkaline stresses had a negative impact on the growth and metabolism of both wild and cultivated soybean.The growth, photosynthesis, and gas exchange parameters showed a significant decrease in response to increasing salt concentration. Additionally, a significant increase in root Na(+) and Cl(–) concentration was observed. However, photosynthetic performance and ion regulation were higher in wild than in cultivated soybean under saline and alkaline stresses. Nitrate reductase (NR) and the glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase (GS/GOGAT) cycle showed a significant decrease in leaves of both genotypes. The reduction in the GS/GOGAT cycle was accompanied by high aminating glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-glutamate dehydrogenase) activity, indicating the assimilation of high levels of NH(4)(+). A significant increase in the activities of aminating and deaminating enzymes, including glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT), was observed, probably due to the high glutamate demand and maintenance of the Krebs cycle to correct the C: N status. CONCLUSIONS: Cultivated soybean was much more stress sensitive than was the wild soybean. The decrease in growth, photosynthesis, ion regulation and nitrogen assimilation enzymes was greater in cultivated soybean than in wild soybean. The impact of alkaline stress was more pronounced than that of saline stress. Wild soybean regulated the physiological mechanisms of photosynthesis and nitrate assimilation more effectively than did cultivated soybean. The present findings provide a theoretical basis with which to screen and utilize wild and cultivated soybean germplasm for breeding new stress-tolerant soybean.