Abstract
Abstract Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for the growth and development of plants. However, Zn deficiency is a common abiotic stress causing yield loss in crop plants. This study elucidates the mechanisms of Zn deficiency tolerance in maize through physiological and molecular techniques. Maize lines tolerant ( PAC ) and sensitive ( DAC ) to Zn deficiency were examined physiologically and by atomic absorption spectrometry ( AAS ). Proteins, H 2 O 2 , SOD , POD , membrane permeability and gene expression (using real‐time PCR ) of roots and shoots of both maize lines were assessed. Zn deficiency had no significant effect on root parameters compared with control plants in PAC and DAC but showed a substantial reduction in shoot parameters in DAC . AAS showed a significant decrease in Zn concentrations in both roots and shoots of DAC but not PAC under Zn deficiency, implying that Zn deficiency tolerance mechanisms exist in PAC . Consistently, total protein and membrane permeability were significantly reduced in DAC but not PAC in both roots and shoots under Zn deficiency in comparison with Zn‐sufficient plants. Real‐time PCR showed that expression of Zm ZIP 1 , Zm ZIP 4 and Zm IRT 1 transporter genes significantly increased in roots of PAC , but not in DAC due to Zn deficiency compared with controls. The H 2 O 2 concentration dramatically increased in roots of DAC but not PAC . Moreover, tolerant PAC showed a significant increase in POD and SOD activity due to Zn deficiency, suggesting that POD ‐ and SOD ‐mediated antioxidant defence might provide tolerance, at least in part, under Zn deficiency in PAC . This study provides an essential background for improving Zn biofortification of maize.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc deficiency did not significantly affect root parameters in either maize line.
- Material
- PAC and DACe0
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye0
- Outcome
- root parameterse0
- Direction
- no significant effecte0
- Comparator
- control plantse0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zn deficiency had no significant effect on root parameters compared with control plants in PAC and DAC”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc deficiency substantially reduced shoot parameters in sensitive DAC.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“showed a substantial reduction in shoot parameters in DAC”
e1“Zn deficiency had no significant effect on root parameters compared with control plants in PAC and DAC”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Under zinc deficiency, root zinc concentration significantly decreased in DAC but not PAC.
- Material
- DACe0
- Organ / stage
- roots and shootse0
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye0
- Outcome
- Zn concentrations in both roots and shootse0
- Direction
- decreasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“AAS showed a significant decrease in Zn concentrations in both roots and shoots of DAC but not PAC under Zn deficiency”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Under zinc deficiency, total protein was significantly reduced in DAC but not PAC.
- Material
- DACe0
- Organ / stage
- roots and shootse0
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye0
- Outcome
- total proteine0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Comparator
- Zn‐sufficient plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“total protein and membrane permeability were significantly reduced in DAC but not PAC in both roots and shoots under Zn deficiency in comparison with Zn‐sufficient plants”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Under zinc deficiency, membrane permeability was significantly reduced in DAC but not PAC.
- Material
- DACe0
- Organ / stage
- roots and shootse0
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye0
- Outcome
- membrane permeabilitye0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Comparator
- Zn‐sufficient plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“total protein and membrane permeability were significantly reduced in DAC but not PAC in both roots and shoots under Zn deficiency in comparison with Zn‐sufficient plants”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc deficiency significantly increased Zm ZIP 1 expression in PAC roots but not DAC roots.
- Material
- PACe0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye0
- Gene
- Zm ZIP 1e0
- Outcome
- expressione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“expression of Zm ZIP 1 , Zm ZIP 4 and Zm IRT 1 transporter genes significantly increased in roots of PAC , but not in DAC due to Zn deficiency compared with controls”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc deficiency significantly increased Zm ZIP 4 expression in PAC roots but not DAC roots.
- Material
- PACe0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye0
- Gene
- Zm ZIP 4e0
- Outcome
- expressione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“expression of Zm ZIP 1 , Zm ZIP 4 and Zm IRT 1 transporter genes significantly increased in roots of PAC , but not in DAC due to Zn deficiency compared with controls”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc deficiency significantly increased Zm IRT 1 expression in PAC roots but not DAC roots.
- Material
- PACe0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye0
- Gene
- Zm IRT 1e0
- Outcome
- expressione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“expression of Zm ZIP 1 , Zm ZIP 4 and Zm IRT 1 transporter genes significantly increased in roots of PAC , but not in DAC due to Zn deficiency compared with controls”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Root H 2 O 2 concentration increased dramatically in DAC but not PAC.
- Material
- DACe0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Zn deficiencye1
- Outcome
- H 2 O 2 concentratione0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The H 2 O 2 concentration dramatically increased in roots of DAC but not PAC”
e1“Zn deficiency had no significant effect on root parameters compared with control plants in PAC and DAC”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc deficiency significantly increased POD activity in tolerant PAC.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“tolerant PAC showed a significant increase in POD and SOD activity due to Zn deficiency”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc deficiency significantly increased SOD activity in tolerant PAC.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“tolerant PAC showed a significant increase in POD and SOD activity due to Zn deficiency”
t0“maize”
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