Search

Photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) possess versatile metabolic abilities and are widely applied in environmental bioremediation, bioenergy production and agriculture. In this review, we summarize examples of purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) through biofertilization, biostimulation and biocontrol mechanisms to promote plant growth. They include improvement of nutrient acquisition, production of phytohormones, induction of immune system responses, interaction with resident microbial community. It has also been reported that PNSB can produce an endogenous 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) to alleviate abiotic stress in plants. Under biotic stress, these bacteria can trigger induced systemic resistance (ISR) of plants against pathogens. The nutrient elements in soil are significantly increased by PNSB inoculation, thus improving fertility. We share experiences of researching and developing an elite PNSB inoculant (Rhodopseudomonas palustris PS3), including strategies for screening and verifying beneficial bacteria as well as the establishment of optimal fermentation and formulation processes for commercialization. The effectiveness of PS3 inoculants for various crops under field conditions, including conventional and organic farming, is presented. We also discuss the underlying plant growth-promoting mechanisms of this bacterium from both microbial and plant viewpoints. This review improves our understanding of the application of PNSB in sustainable crop production and could inspire the development of diverse inoculants to overcome the changes in agricultural environments created by climate change.

Background The subtropical rice varieties grown in Taiwan are mainly Japonica-type rice varieties, which are grown in the southernmost- and lowest-latitude Japonica type rice cultivation area in the world. In Taiwan, seedlings that are planted either by transplanting or direct seeding in the second crop will face the season with the highest temperatures during the year. High-temperature stress severely influences early rice growth and causes yield losses. With global warming deteriorating, this problem is becoming increasingly severe. This study attempted to establish a high-efficiency and time-saving screening tool for rice varieties that exhibit thermotolerance during the early growth stages and further identify good donors with better tolerance for high temperature stress from Taiwan Japonica type rice germplasm. Results During the initial germination stage, there were significantly different responses to heat stress among the different rice varieties. After the temperature induction response technique (TIR) treatment, the seedling survival rate and relative growth rate of the rice varieties under high temperature stress were significantly improved. In addition, the seedlings of the thermotolerant varieties demonstrated greater thermotolerance performance in the pot experiment as well as cell membrane stability (CMS) and cell activity (2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride; TTC) test results. However, the correlation between the thermotolerance of the seedlings and seeds was low. A phylogenetic dendrogram was plotted and revealed that thermotolerant genes did not concentrate in specific clusters. Furthermore, there was a non-significant correlation between the thermotolerance of the varieties and the years in which they were released. Conclusions The temperature induction screening tool established by this study could determine the potential of each variety to adapt to high temperature stress. Additionally, thermotolerance during different growth stages (i.e., the germination, seedling, and grain maturation stages) exhibited low correlations. In this study, the varieties obtained through preliminary screening (i.e., TK14, HC56, TT30, TNG70, and TK8) exhibited outstanding thermotolerance. The screen tools and thermotolerance varieties could be valuable resources for the countries that grow Japonica type rice to apply when breeding thermotolerant varieties in the future.

Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain PS3, a phototrophic bacterium, was originally isolated from a paddy field located in Taipei city, Taiwan, and showed positive effects on the growth of leafy vegetables. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of the beneficial effects exerted by PS3 on plants. An ineffective R. palustris strain, YSC3, isolated from a paddy field located in Yilan County, was used as the negative control for comparative analyses. We cultivated non-heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa var. chinensis) in 1/2 strength Hoagland hydroponic solution, in which nitrate is the main nitrogen source. We evaluated various plant physiological responses to inoculation with different bacterial inoculants. The N use efficiency (NUE) of PS3-inoculated plants was dramatically higher than that of YSC3-inoculated plants. The nitrate uptake efficiency (NUpE) was significantly elevated in plants treated with PS3; however, no excess nitrate accumulation was observed in leaves. We also noticed that the endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels as well as the cell division rate in the leaves of PS3-inoculated plants were significantly higher than those in the leaves of YSC3-inoculated plants. We examined the bacterial transcription of some genes during root colonization, and found that the expression level of IAA synthesis related gene MAO was almost the same between these two strains. It suggests that the elevated endogenous IAA in the PS3-inoculated plants was not directly derived from the exogenous IAA produced by this bacterium. Taken together, we deduced that PS3 inoculation could promote plant growth by enhancing nitrate uptake and stimulating the accumulation of endogenous auxin in young expanding leaves to increase the proliferation of leaf cells during leaf development.

Heat stress is an important factor that has a negative impact on rice (Oryza sativa) production. To alleviate this problem, it is necessary to extensively understand the genetic basis of heat tolerance and adaptability to heat stress in rice. Here, we report the molecular mechanism underlying heat acclimation memory that confers long-term acquired thermotolerance (LAT) in this monocot plant. Our results showed that a positive feedback loop formed by two heat-inducible genes, HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN101 (HSP101) and HEAT STRESS-ASSOCIATED 32-KD PROTEIN (HSA32), at the posttranscriptional level prolongs the effect of heat acclimation in rice seedlings. The interplay between HSP101 and HSA32 also affects basal thermotolerance of rice seeds. These findings are similar to those reported for the dicot plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), suggesting a conserved function in plant heat stress response. Comparison between two rice cultivars, japonica Nipponbare and indica N22 showed opposite performance in basal thermotolerance and LAT assays. 'N22' seedlings have a higher basal thermotolerance level than cv Nipponbare and vice versa at the LAT level, indicating that these two types of thermotolerance can be decoupled. The HSP101 and HSA32 protein levels were substantially higher in cv Nipponbare than in cv N22 after a long recovery following heat acclimation treatment, at least partly explaining the difference in the LAT phenotype. Our results point out the complexity of thermotolerance diversity in rice cultivars, which may need to be taken into consideration when breeding for heat tolerance for different climate scenarios.

Several Rhodopseudomonas palustris strains have been isolated from rice paddy fields in Taiwan by combining the Winogradsky column method and molecular marker detection. These isolates were initially screened by employing seed germination and seedling vigor assays to evaluate their potential as inoculants. To fulfill the demand in the present farming system for reducing the application of chemical fertilizers, we assessed the plant growth-promoting effects of the R. palustris YSC3, YSC4, and PS3 inoculants on Brassica rapa chinensis (Chinese cabbage) cultivated under a half quantity of fertilizer. The results obtained showed that supplementation with approximately 4.0×10(6) CFU g(-1) soil of the PS3 inoculant at half the amount of fertilizer consistently produced the same plant growth potential as 100% fertility, and also increased the nitrogen use efficiency of the applied fertilizer nutrients. Furthermore, we noted that the plant growth-promotion rate elicited by PS3 was markedly higher with old seeds than with new seeds, suggesting it has the potential to boost the development of seedlings that were germinated from carry-over seeds of poor quality. These beneficial traits suggest that the PS3 isolate may serve as a potential PGPR inoculant for integrated nutrient management in agriculture.

A study conducted in 2006 showed that over 100 ha of rice paddies in Beitou, Taiwan, irrigated over the years using water mixed with hot spring, was heavily polluted by arsenic. Thus, the objective of the present study is to measure arsenic content in different parts of rice and paddy soils, and eventually explain the arsenic distribution in ratoon rice, including its relationship to the soil. Arsenic levels of rice in grains, straws, roots, and soils were obtained from 15 rice paddies, selected based on different arsenic soil concentrations ranging from 67 to 438 mg kg−1 (n = 15). The mean arsenic content in grains was measured at 0.20 mg kg−1 (n = 60) and the highest grain arsenic of the survey was at 1.183 mg kg−1. Meanwhile, the mean total arsenic levels were 244 mg kg−1 (n = 28) in root and 4.4 mg kg−1 (n = 28) in straw. In comparison, regression of topsoil arsenic levels with rice grains (r2 = 0.00) and straws (r2 = 0.56) were less significant compared to that with rice roots (r2 = 0.93), and the mean arsenic level in rice from root to grain was also shown to have a decreasing trend. Though concentrations of arsenic in compositive rice grain each field did not exceed food hygiene concentration limit, arsenic level in root strongly depended on arsenic concentrations of soil suggesting that the high arsenic concentration may have the potential for translocation from root to grain which ultimately effects on the human health.

The involvement of ethylene and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in shade-induced kernel abortion at an early kernel growth stage was investigated. Changes in levels of glucose, sucrose, starch, ACC and ethylene were measured during the first 6 days after pollination (DAP) at sampling intervals of 12 or 24 h. In response to shading treatment, dry weight accumulation of apical kernels ceased within 96 h after pollination (HAP). Glucose levels in shaded kernels 12 HAP were significantly higher than in control kernels, while sucrose and starch levels were similar until 48 HAP. In the shade treatment ACC and ethylene levels increased rapidly around 24 HAP in both apical and basal kernels. When ACC was applied to ears at 32 HAP and 5 DAP, dry weight accumulation was significantly reduced only in apical kernels of 32 HAP. Significant reduction in endosperm nuclei number was also found in both shaded and ACC-treated kernels. The results of the present study suggest that ethylene may be involved in the processes leading to kernel abortion in maize. Kernels at the very early developmental stages seem to be most sensitive to ethylene.

Carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranol-N-methylcarbamate) and carbaryl (1-naphthyl-N-methylcarbamate) are insecticides widely used in tea plantations. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the dissipation of carbofuran and carbaryl during the growth periods of Oolong tea, processing and roasting. Analysis of the residual insecticides was carried out using high-pressure liquid chromatography with a post-column fluorescence detector. Results showed that in the tea field carbofuran dissipated faster then carbaryl. Manufacturing processes of Oolong tea further reduced the carbofuran and carbaryl contents. The persistence of carbofuran and carbaryl was decreased with increasing roasting temperature. From the results, we conclude that the presence of carbofuran and carbaryl in tea can be reduced by proper field management, manufacturing and roasting processes.

Kernel abortion in maize (Zea mays L.) can cause significant reductions in yield. Abortion usually commences early in development and frequently occurs because of stresses such as water deficit or low light. Polyamines have been implicated in development processes of fruits and seeds, but in maize the changes of polyamine levels during kernel growth are still unclear. The objectives of this study were to investigate the roles of polyamines in the early stages of kernel growth and kernel abortion. Two single-cross hybrids with different kernel abortion characteristics were grown in a greenhouse with shade treatment. During early development of normal, naturally aborting, and shade-induced aborting kernels, temporal changes in the concentrations of endogenous putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM) and their free, perchloric acid (PCA)-soluble conjugated, and PCA-insoluble bound forms, were measured. Changes in DNA content and the number of endosperm nuclei were also measured. Total polyamine levels in normal kernels rapidly increased 4 to 6 d after pollination (DAP), and peaked during active endosperm cell division. The most abundant polyamines were, in order, PCA-soluble conjugated PUT, PCA-soluble conjugated SPD, and free PUT. Aborting kernels had significantly lower levels of polyamines than normal kernels after 4 DAP. The low polyamine levels were temporally associated with a low number of endosperm nuclei and low DNA content. The results suggest that polyamines may be involved in the regulation of early endosperm development in maize.

Ozone is one of the major gaseous pollutants detrimental to crop growthand metabolism. The objective of this research was to study how ABA amelioratesthe effects of ozone on rice seedlings. Seedlings of two rice cultivars withdifferent sensitivities to ozone (Tainung 67, tolerant; and Taichung Native 1,sensitive) were treated with 400 ppb of ozone or ABA and 400ppb of ozone to determine their effect on growth, stomatalmovement, chlorophyll characteristics, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes.Activities of the enzymes SOD, APOD, GR and POD were significantly higher inthesensitive cultivar, TN 1, than in the tolerant cultivar, TNG 67. Seedlings ofthe sensitive cultivar pretreated with ABA (10 μM) weresignificantly more tolerant of ozone than control seedlings. Pretreatment withABA effectively reduced stomatal conductance and the degree of injury. Abscisicacid also increased ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase activity.Ozone increased peroxidase activity in sensitive seedlings, but ABA decreasedperoxidase activity. The sensitive cultivar had a higher density of stomata onits leaves than the tolerant cultivar. The results suggest that ABA inducedtolerance to ozone may be more associated with its effects on stomatal movementthan on the modulation of antioxidant enzyme activity.

Soluble acidity has been used as one of major indexes to reflect the changes of rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain quality during storage. The acidity is in general visually examined by pH dye indicators or directly measured by a pH meter. By combining the characteristics of pH dye indicator, 96-well microplate, and microplate reader, we have developed a procedure capable of effectively measuring the pH value of rice grains at a single-grain level. First, from a pH-dye system prepared with methyl red and bromothymol blue, we scanned the spectral response to pH and determined that a wavelength of 630 nm showed the maximum response to pH changes with storage age of rice grains. By means of a 96-well microplate and plate reader, a pH standard curve was then constructed with a series of pH standard buffers and absorbance at 630 nm. The pH value of a single grain in a microplate well can be measured by incubating the grain with dye solution and reading absorbance. The proposed procedure offers an efficient means of measuring the change of soluble acidity in rice grains during storage on an individual-grain basis. The method may also rapidly detect the uniformity or blending status of fresh/old grains in a sample.

Physiological and biochemical changes related to methyl jasmonate (MeJA)-induced chilling tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Taichung Native 1) seedlings were investigated. Treatment of whole plants with 10 mmol m -3 MeJA for 48 h before chilling (5 °C) was optimal for the induction of chilling tolerance. MeJA greatly improved the survival ratio of chilled seedlings and ameliorated chilling injury such as demolition of membrane structure (estimated by electrolyte leakage). MeJA also prevented water loss in chilled seedlings by reducing the opening of stomata and decreasing the root bleeding rate. Putrescine and spermine levels in shoots increased but spermidine levels decreased on exposure to MeJA. In roots, putrescine levels also increased and spermidine levels increased transiently on exposure to MeJA. Activities of arginine decarboxylase (ADC ; EC 4.1.1.19) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC ; EC 4.1.1.50) in both shoots and roots increased on exposure to MeJA, while the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC ; EC 4.1.1.17) remained unchanged. The MeJA-induced putrescine increase was inhibited by 50 mmol m -3 α-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA), an irreversible inhibitor of ADC, but not by 50 mmol m -3 α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ODC. The effect of MeJA on the induction of chilling tolerance was also reduced by 50 mmol m -3 DFMA. The effects of DFMA were partly prevented by 1 mol m -3 putrescine. This indicates that putrescine accumulation is required for the induction of chilling tolerance of rice seedlings by MeJA.

Changes of internal ABA levels in relation to anoxia- or ethylene-induced growth alterations were determined in etiolated rice ( Oryza sativa L. cv. Taichung Native 1) seedlings. An inverse relationship between ABA levels and growth was observed at the early growth stages of rice seedlings. When rice seedlings were exposed to anoxia or 10 μl/l ethylene, coleoptile elongation was enhanced while growth of roots and leaves was inhibited. In contrast, anoxia or ethylene induced a decrease of ABA levels in coleoptiles but an increase in roots and leaves, especially after 48 h of treatment. In addition, the anoxia- or ethylene-enhanced coleoptile elongation was inhibited by ABA ranging from 10 −7 M to 10 −4 M. Thus,results presented here indicate that ABA is an inhibitory modulator in the anoxia- or ethylene-induced morphological changes of etiolated rice seedlings.

Summary The role of abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene and polyamines in leaf senescence of tobacco exposed to flooding was investigated. Senescence of tobacco leaves was followed by measuring the decrease of protein. Flooding significantly promoted senescence of tobacco leaves and resulted in a higher ABA content than the controls throughout the entire 4-day experimental duration. Ethylene production in flooding-treated leaves was much higher than that in control leaves during the first day of the experiment. Putrescine and spermidine, but not spermine, were present in tobacco leaves throughout the experimental duration. Flooded leaves had higher levels of putrescine and spermidine than untreated leaves. It is concluded that ethylene, but neither ABA nor polyamines, is possibly involved in the regulation of flooding-promoted senescence of tobacco leaves.

The timing of developmental events and regulatory roles of auxin were examined in maize (Zea mays L.) endosperms. Zeatin, zeatin riboside, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA). Zeatin and zeatin riboside increased to maximal concentrations at an early stage (9 d after pollination [DAP]), corresponding to the stage when cell division rate was maximal. In contrast, IAA concentration was low at 9 DAP and abruptly increased from 9 to 11 DAP, thus creating a sharp decline in the cytokinin to auxin ratio. Coincident with the increase in IAA was an increase in DNA content per nucleus, attributed to postmitotic DNA replication via endoreduplication. Exogenous application of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at 5 or 7 DAP hastened the time course of DNA accumulation per nucleus and increased the average nuclear diameter, whereas 2-(para-chlorophenoxy)isobutyric acid delayed such development. Exogenously applied 2,4-D hastened the accumulation of the zein polypeptides of apparent molecular masses of 12, 14, and 16 kD and the expression of mRNA hybridizing with a zein DNA probe. We conclude that an abrupt increase in auxin induces cellular differentiation events in endosperm, including endoredupliction and expression of particular zein storage proteins.

To provide insight into the regulatory roles of auxin and cytokinin in endosperm development, defective kernel ( dek ) mutants of maize ( Zea mays L.) were examined. The mutants dek 6, dek 18 and dek 26 had substantially lower indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels than wild-type counterparts while dek 8, dek 12 dek 24 had higher IAA levels than wild-type counterparts. The mutant dek 6 had a somewhat lower zeatin level than its wild-type counterpart. The mutation-induced changes in IAA levels and effects of exogenously-applied auxin were not consistently related to changes in numbers of nuclei per endorsperm; however, there was a correspondence between auxin level in endosperm and nuclear diameter, which is proportional to the extent of post-mitotic DNA synthesis (endoreduplication). We conclude that auxin may be involved in stimulating endoreduplication.

Changes of ABA levels in chilled rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings of two varieties were determined. On exposure to chilling, ABA concentration rapidly increased in the chilling-tolerant cultivar (cv. Tainung 67, TNG.67) but not in the chilling-sensitive cultivar (cv. Taichung Native 1, TN.1). Both detached shoots and roots of TNG.67 seedlings showed a significant ABA increase after exposure to chilling. TN.1 seedlings could not accumulate ABA under low temperature but well-watered status. Exogenous application of the ABA biosynthetic inhibitor, fluridone, reduced ABA accumulation, as well as survival ratio of chilled TNG.67 seedlings. Electrolyte leakage and leaf conductance were also increased by the inhibitor and the effects could be reversed by exogenously applied ABA. ABA concentrations in xylem sap of TNG.67 seedlings increased within 4 h after chilling, and this was temporally coincident with the reduction of leaf conductance. The roles of endogenous ABA in the tolerance of rice seedlings to chilling on a whole plant basis are discussed and suggested.

The present study was performed to understand the effects of high temperature (HT) during filling on the expression of storage proteins and the quality of rice grains. HT (35/30 °C day/night) reduced the weight, amylose content, and flour gel consistency of grains. It increased the accumulation of all classes of storage proteins at early filling stage but decreased the accumulation of prolamins at maturation. For albumins, the expressions of cyclophilin 2, peroxiredoxin, and HSP16.9 were differentially enhanced by HT. For globulins, HT decreased the accumulation of globulin but increased that of glyoxalase I and peroxiredoxin. HT enhanced the transcription of genes for glutelins, prolamins, globulins, and protein disulfide isomerase at early filling stage but decreased the expression of these genes at a later stage. Low amounts of prolamins and globulins, as well as low pH value, were found in sound, immature, and dead kernels grown under HT. The relationships among HT, storage proteins, and grain quality are discussed.