Journal
BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILS
Volume 49, Issue 2, Pages 143-152Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00374-012-0707-0
Keywords
Biofertilizer; Biological soil crusts (BSCs); Cyanobacterial polysaccharide; Seed germination; Seedling metabolism
Categories
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [30970446]
- National Water Specialize Foundation (863 Projection) [2009 ZX07104-005-02]
- Plan of Wuhan Scientific Chenguang of Youth [200850731367]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The importance of cyanobacterial polysaccharides of biological soil crusts in sand surface stabilization and soil nutrient retention has been long acknowledged. However, the role of cyanobacterial polysaccharides as a source of nutrition to vascular plants in crusted areas is ignored. In this study, the chemical composition of the polysaccharide synthesized by Phormidium tenue and the effects of its presence on seed germination and seedling metabolism of the shrub Caragana korshinskii were investigated. The crude polysaccharide synthesized by P. tenue was composed of 15 % protein and 58 % carbohydrate and showed the presence of 12 different types of monosaccharides. The addition of the polysaccharide significantly (P < 0.05) increased seed germination and metabolic activity of the seedling of the shrub C. korshinskii. The optimal concentration for vigor index, root length, root vigor, and total N and P contents was 10 mg/L polysaccharide; for the germination rate, nitrate reductase activity, carbohydrate content, chlorophyll, and Mg2+ content, the optimal was 60 mg/L polysaccharide, while for K+ and Ca2+ contents, photosynthetic efficiency and superoxide dismutase activity was 120 mg/L. The presence of the polysaccharide increased seed germination rate, ion uptake, and photosynthetic activity by affecting the electron transport chain and decreased oxidative damage by eliminating reactive oxygen species in C. korshinskii, thus promoting shrub performance in crusted desert areas.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available