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Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide on Growth, Antioxidative Capacity, and Ultrastructural Changes in Oilseed Rape Seedlings Under Aluminum Toxicity

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Abstract

The present study evaluates the beneficial effects of the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor, sodium hydrosulfide (0 and 0.3 mM), on the growth of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. cv. ZS 758) seedlings under aluminum (Al) stress (0, 0.1, and 0.3 mM). Results showed that Al stress decreased the seedling growth by reducing the shoot and root length, biomass, and antioxidant enzymes, which could be illustrated by increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and accumulation of Al in the shoots. Pretreatment with H2S reduced MDA and H2O2 levels in the leaves and roots of B. napus seedlings. Moreover, activities of antioxidant enzymes (APX, CAT, APX, SOD, POD, and GR) were elevated significantly with the application of H2S under Al stress. The microscopic examination confirmed that higher levels of Al completely impaired leaf mesophyll and root tip cells. Chloroplasts were spongy shaped with dissolved thylakoid membranes and more starch grains. Root tip cells showed visible symptoms under Al toxicity such as deposition of Al in vacuoles and disruption of whole cell organelles. Under pretreatment with exogenous H2S, cell structures were improved and presented a clean mesophyll cell and chloroplast possessing well-developed thylakoid membranes as well as fewer starch grains. A number of modifications could be observed in root tip cells, that is, mature mitochondria, long endoplasmic reticulum as well as golgi bodies, under the combined application of H2S and Al. On the basis of our results, we can conclude that H2S has a promotive effect which could improve plant survival under Al stress.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest (201303022), the National Key Science and Technology Supporting Program of China (2010BAD01B01), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31170405), and the Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang Province (2012C12902-1). We thank Junying Li and Nianhang Rong from the Center of Analysis & Measurement, Zhejiang University for their assistance during the Transmission Electron Microscope analyses.

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  1. Institute of Crop Science and Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    ** Qian, Basharat Ali, Rafaqat A. Gill, Ling Xu & Weijun Zhou

  2. Agricultural Experiment Station, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Rui Sun & Weijun Zhou

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  1. ** Qian
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Correspondence to Weijun Zhou.

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Qian, P., Sun, R., Ali, B. et al. Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide on Growth, Antioxidative Capacity, and Ultrastructural Changes in Oilseed Rape Seedlings Under Aluminum Toxicity. J Plant Growth Regul 33, 526–538 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-013-9402-0

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