Root morphological and molecular responses induced by microalgae extracts in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

• Published in: Journal of applied phycology Vol. 30; no. 2; pp. 1061 - 1071
• Main Authors: Barone, V., Baglieri, A., Stevanato, Piergiorgio, Broccanello, C., Bertoldo, G., Bertaggia, M., Cagnin, M., Pizzeghello, D., Moliterni, V. M. C., Mandolino, G., Fornasier, F., Squartini, A., Nardi, S., Concheri, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.04.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algae; Animal morphology; Beta vulgaris; Biological activity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbon 13; Chlorella vulgaris; Controlled conditions; crops; DNA; Ecology; Exploration; fine roots; Fluidics; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Fourier transforms; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Gene expression; Genes; Image analysis; Image processing; Inductively coupled plasma; Infrared analysis; ionomics; Life Sciences; Metabolism; Microalgae; Mineral nutrients; Molecular chains; Morphology; multivariate analysis; Multivariate statistical analysis; Nanofluids; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Nucleotide sequence; Nutrient uptake; PCR; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plants (botany); quantitative polymerase chain reaction; root tips; Saccharides; Scenedesmus quadricauda; Seedlings; Soil; Solutions; spectral analysis; Spectrometry; Starvation; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Sugar; sugar beet; Sulfates; Tips; Uptake; Microalgae extracts; Ionomic and high-throughput qPCR profiling; Sugar beet yield; Biostimulants
• ISSN: 0921-8971; 1573-5176
• DOI: 10.1007/s10811-017-1283-3

The characterization of nutrient and biostimulant effects in crops is complex and needs rigorous evaluations. In this study, we evaluated morphological and molecular responses induced by microalgae ( Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus quadricauda ) extracts in Beta vulgaris L. The two microalgae extracts were firstly characterized by CNS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis (FT-IR), and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance ( 13 C NMR). Seedlings were grown in Hoagland’s solution under controlled conditions. After 5 days of growth, 2 mL L −1 (1 mg C org  L −1 ) and 4 mL L −1 (2 mg C org  L −1 ) of the two microalgae extracts were added to the Hoagland solution. Roots were sampled 36 h after treatments. Inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP-OES) and nanofluidic real-time PCR (OpenArray system) were used for sample profiling. Fifty-three sugar beet genes putatively involved in sulfate starvation were tested in treated and untreated samples. Root morphological traits were measured by means of a scanner-based image analysis system. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed no significant changes in the ionomic profile of Hoagland’s solutions treated with the two microalgae extracts with respect to that of the untreated solution. At the molecular level, microalgae extract supplies upregulated many of the evaluated genes. Functional categorization revealed these genes to be related to various biological pathways and processes including primary and secondary metabolism and intracellular transport. At the morphological level, the treated seedlings showed significantly higher values for root traits related to soil exploration and nutrient uptake, such as total root length, fine root length (diameter < 0.5 mm), and number of root tips, than the untreated plants. These data indicate that microalgae extracts have biostimulant effects on the expression of root traits and genes related to nutrient acquisition in sugar beet.