Effect of alfalfa on the yield and sucrose metabolism of rice in an alfalfa-rice rotation system

doi:10.11686/cyxb2022389

Abstract

Abstract:

The alfalfa-rice crop rotation system can improve soil quality， increase rice yield， and reduce nitrogen fertilizer input. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of alfalfa to promote the yield of rice in this type of crop rotation. We conducted an experiment in which rice plants were grown with soil from a ryegrass crop （control 1）， soil from an alfalfa crop （control 2）， and soil and green manure from an alfalfa crop （alfalfa treatment）. Compared with the two controls， the alfalfa treatment significantly increased the number of tillers， biomass， seed yield， and nitrogen， phosphorus， and potassium contents in leaves of rice plants at the heading stage. The net photosynthetic rate of rice plants at the tillering stage， heading stage， and harvest stage was 16.99%， 27.22%， and 40.99% higher， respectively， in the alfalfa treatment than in control 1； and 16.88%， 37.99%， and 33.51% higher， respectively， in the alfalfa treatment than in control 2. The transcript levels of five key genes involved in sucrose metabolism （OsAGPS1， OsAGPL1， OsMEX1， OsSPS1， and OsSUS5） in the leaves （day and night） and roots differed significantly between the treatment and the controls. Compared with control 1， the alfalfa treatment resulted in up-regulation of OsAGPS1， OsAGPL1， OsMEX1， OsSPS1， and OsSUS5 （by factors of 2.45， 2.96， 1.29， 1.66， and 6.04， respectively） at night in leaves at the tillering stage， while only OsMEX1 and OsSPS1 were up-regulated in leaves during the daytime. OsMEX1 was significantly down-regulated during nighttime in leaves at the heading stage and harvesting stage in the alfalfa treatment. In roots， OsAGPL1， OsMEX1， and OsAGPS1 were significantly up-regulated at the tillering or heading stage in the alfalfa treatment. Correspondingly， the activity of sucrose phosphate synthase and soluble starch synthase in leaves at tillering stage， as well as the contents of starch， sucrose， and soluble sugars in new leaves and leaf sheaths were significantly increased， while sucrose and soluble sugar contents in old leaves were significantly decreased in the alfalfa treatment compared with the two controls. These results indicate that alfalfa green manure and soil can change the distribution of starch， sucrose， and soluble sugars in leaves and sheaths of rice plants grown in a rotation system by affecting the contents of N， P， K in leaves and the circadian expression pattern of key genes in the sucrose metabolic pathway at the tillering stage， thereby increasing rice yield.

Key words: alfalfa, rice, nutrient elements, sucrose metabolism genes, starch

Rui XU, Zheng WANG, Yi-ming WANG, Lian-tai SU, Li GAO, Peng ZHOU, Yuan AN. Effect of alfalfa on the yield and sucrose metabolism of rice in an alfalfa-rice rotation system[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2023, 32(8): 129-140.

Figures/Tables 9

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处理 Treatment	氮含量N content			磷含量P content			钾含量K content
处理 Treatment	分蘖期 Tillering stage	抽穗期 Heading stage	收获期 Harvesting stage	分蘖期 Tillering stage	抽穗期 Heading stage	收获期 Harvesting stage	分蘖期 Tillering stage	抽穗期 Heading stage	收获期 Harvesting stage
PRS	25.86±0.92b	27.49±0.42b	11.54±0.41ab	4.47±0.26b	3.06±0.47c	0.83±0.48b	45.30±2.63b	18.53±0.29c	9.54±0.55b
PAS	29.72±1.72a	28.47±0.46b	10.57±0.61b	4.65±0.07ab	4.41±0.71b	0.76±0.01b	47.49±0.77ab	24.77±0.40b	9.31±0.75b
A	29.40±0.45a	33.47±2.26a	12.52±0.19a	4.93±0.08a	5.87±0.39a	1.14±0.02a	52.26±3.53a	37.14±2.51a	13.22±0.89a

处理 Treatment	氮含量N content			磷含量P content			钾含量K content
处理 Treatment	分蘖期 Tillering stage	抽穗期 Heading stage	收获期 Harvesting stage	分蘖期 Tillering stage	抽穗期 Heading stage	收获期 Harvesting stage	分蘖期 Tillering stage	抽穗期 Heading stage	收获期 Harvesting stage
PRS	25.86±0.92b	27.49±0.42b	11.54±0.41ab	4.47±0.26b	3.06±0.47c	0.83±0.48b	45.30±2.63b	18.53±0.29c	9.54±0.55b
PAS	29.72±1.72a	28.47±0.46b	10.57±0.61b	4.65±0.07ab	4.41±0.71b	0.76±0.01b	47.49±0.77ab	24.77±0.40b	9.31±0.75b
A	29.40±0.45a	33.47±2.26a	12.52±0.19a	4.93±0.08a	5.87±0.39a	1.14±0.02a	52.26±3.53a	37.14±2.51a	13.22±0.89a

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