Effect of application of exogenous nitric oxide at different critical growth stages in alleviating Fe deficiency chlorosis of peanut growing in calcareous soil

ABSTRACT

This study was to investigate peanut response to application of nitric oxide (NO) at different growth stages and the effects of NO application on peanut yield and quality in calcareous soil. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a NO donor) solution was poured into calcareous soil at sowing, seedling, flowering, and podding stages, respectively, or at each aforesaid critical stage. Results showed that NO application increased the content of active Fe and leaf chlorophyll, which improved the photosynthesis of peanut; enhanced the ability of resistance to oxidative stress by decreased the accumulation of O₂^•−, H₂O₂, and MDA and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Nitric oxide increased the content of soil available Fe and root FCR activity, which can promote peanut absorb more Fe from the calcareous soil. What's more, peanut plants may pump a large amount of H⁺ from root cell membrane to consume in neutralization of HCO₃⁻, and decrease the pH in apoplast, cytoplasm, and xylem, finally balance the mineral elements (Fe, Ca, Mg, Zn, and Cu) uptake and distribution. These results indicated that NO could improve peanut growth and development, increase peanut yield and quality. Furthermore, the application of NO at sowing or seedling stage did the most obvious effect on alleviating chlorosis of peanut in calcareous soil.

KEYWORDS:

• active fe
• antioxidant enzymes
• chlorophyll
• mineral elements
• nitric oxide
• oxide stress

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Pingping Yang (College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong AgriculturalUniversity, China) for her supplying instruments and patient guidance. Special acknowledgements are given to the editors and reviewers.

Additional information

Funding

This research work was financially supported by the Primary Research & Development Plan of Shandong Province (2016CYJS05A02), National key research and development program (2016YFD02200402-2), the Indigenous Innovation Project of Shandong Province (2014ZZCX07402), the Key Projects in the National “948” Program during the Twelfth Five-year Plan Period (2011-G30), Open Research Fund of Fulvic Acid Fertilizer Engineering Laboratory of Shandong Agricultural University and Quanlin (QL2016-22) and the Taishan Scholars at Seed Industry Talent Project-Shandong province Seed Industry Project.