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Tian-Ming Hu
College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China

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Journal article
Published: 15 August 2021 in Environmental and Experimental Botany
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In most terrestrial plants, large quantities of water inevitably are diffused into the air via open stomata for CO2 absorption during photosynthesis. It is difficult to reduce such an intrinsic demand of water for transpiration but still maintain photosynthesis. Interestingly, the xerophyte Zygophyllum xanthoxylum evolves an outstanding ability to resolve this dilemma by accumulating Na+ to stimulate growth while reducing transpiration. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Two-week-old Z. xanthoxylum plants were treated with 50 mM NaCl (Na) for 7 days to investigate their growth, gas-exchange related parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, leaf anatomical characteristics, and related biochemical traits. NaCl treatment reduced the stomatal opening and transpiration but markedly enhanced the plant biomass. Analysis showed that a higher efficiency of intrinsic water use (WUEi) and photosynthetic chlorophyll (PChl) in leaves of Na-treated plants. A lower CO2 partial pressure in substomatal cavities, mainly accounting for higher WUEi, which efficiently facilitates CO2 extraction from air via partially opening stomata in leaves of Na-treated plants, may be largely due to increased internal cell surface and reduced CO2 diffusion path between chloroplasts and corresponding cell wall, in addition to increased expression of aquaporin and induced C4 or CAM-like metabolism. Increased leaves area, reduced chlorophyll content per unit weight, and enhanced operating efficiency of Photosystem II allowed more efficient light harvesting, deeper light penetration and more light using efficiency, and so would also benefit this water-saving photosynthesis. Our data demonstrate that Z. xanthoxylum efficiently rematches both CO2 intake and light use to fulfill vigorous growth under significantly reduced stomatal aperture and markedly decreased water consumption. The mechanisms that Z. xanthoxylum uses to achieve more biomass while using less water give a valuable clue for future improvement of agricultural production in water-limited areas.

ACS Style

Jie-Jun Xi; Si-Yuan Huang; Wei-Jie Liu; Shu He; Yuhui Chen; Xiu-Zhu Sun; Guo-Liang Pei; Jing Zhao; Jing Zhang; Pei-Zhi Yang; Tian-Ming Hu. Enhancement by sodium on the growth of the xerophyte Zygophyllum xanthoxylum is achieved by maintaining efficient photosynthesis when stomatal aperture is minimized. Environmental and Experimental Botany 2021, 104624 .

AMA Style

Jie-Jun Xi, Si-Yuan Huang, Wei-Jie Liu, Shu He, Yuhui Chen, Xiu-Zhu Sun, Guo-Liang Pei, Jing Zhao, Jing Zhang, Pei-Zhi Yang, Tian-Ming Hu. Enhancement by sodium on the growth of the xerophyte Zygophyllum xanthoxylum is achieved by maintaining efficient photosynthesis when stomatal aperture is minimized. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 2021; ():104624.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jie-Jun Xi; Si-Yuan Huang; Wei-Jie Liu; Shu He; Yuhui Chen; Xiu-Zhu Sun; Guo-Liang Pei; Jing Zhao; Jing Zhang; Pei-Zhi Yang; Tian-Ming Hu. 2021. "Enhancement by sodium on the growth of the xerophyte Zygophyllum xanthoxylum is achieved by maintaining efficient photosynthesis when stomatal aperture is minimized." Environmental and Experimental Botany , no. : 104624.

Journal article
Published: 18 March 2021 in Sustainability
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The effects of salt stress on the growth, nodulation, and nitrogen (N) fixation of legumes are well known, but the relationship between symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) driven by rhizobium–legume symbiosis and salt tolerance in Medicago truncatula is not well studied. The effects of the active nodulation process on salt stress tolerance of Medicago truncatula were evaluated by quantifying the compatible solutes, soluble sugars, and antioxidants enzymes, as well as growth and survival rate of plants. Eight weeks old plants, divided in three groups: (i) no nodules (NN), (ii) inactive nodules (IN), and (iii) active nodules (AN), were exposed to 150 mM of NaCl salt stress for 0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 48 h in hydroponic system. AN plants showed a higher survival rate (30.83% and 38.35%), chlorophyll contents (37.18% and 44.51%), and photosynthesis compared to IN and NN plants, respectively. Improved salt tolerance in AN plants was linked with higher activities of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants and higher K+ (20.45% and 39.21%) and lower Na+ accumulations (17.54% and 24.51%) when compared with IN and NN plants, respectively. Additionally, higher generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was indicative of salt stress, causing membrane damage as revealed by higher electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation. All such effects were significantly ameliorated in AN plants, showing higher compatible solutes (proline, free amino acids, glycine betaine, soluble sugars, and proteins) and maintaining higher relative water contents (61.34%). This study advocates positive role of Rhizobium meliloti inoculation against salt stress through upregulation of antioxidant system and a higher concentration of compatible solutes.

ACS Style

Annie Irshad; Rana Rehman; Muhammad Abrar; Qudsia Saeed; Rahat Sharif; Tianming Hu. Contribution of Rhizobium–Legume Symbiosis in Salt Stress Tolerance in Medicago truncatula Evaluated through Photosynthesis, Antioxidant Enzymes, and Compatible Solutes Accumulation. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3369 .

AMA Style

Annie Irshad, Rana Rehman, Muhammad Abrar, Qudsia Saeed, Rahat Sharif, Tianming Hu. Contribution of Rhizobium–Legume Symbiosis in Salt Stress Tolerance in Medicago truncatula Evaluated through Photosynthesis, Antioxidant Enzymes, and Compatible Solutes Accumulation. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (6):3369.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Annie Irshad; Rana Rehman; Muhammad Abrar; Qudsia Saeed; Rahat Sharif; Tianming Hu. 2021. "Contribution of Rhizobium–Legume Symbiosis in Salt Stress Tolerance in Medicago truncatula Evaluated through Photosynthesis, Antioxidant Enzymes, and Compatible Solutes Accumulation." Sustainability 13, no. 6: 3369.

Original research article
Published: 04 February 2021 in Frontiers in Plant Science
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Phosphorus is one of the essential macronutrients required by plant growth and development, but phosphate resources are finite and diminishing rapidly because of the huge need in global agriculture. In this study, 11 genes were found in the Phosphate Transporter 1 (PHT1) family of Medicago truncatula. Seven genes of the PHT1 family were available by qRT-PCR. Most of them were expressed in roots, and almost all genes were induced by low-phosphate stress in the nodule. The expression of MtPT6 was relatively high in nodules and induced by low-phosphate stress. The fusion expression of MtPT6 promoter-GUS gene in M. truncatula suggested that the expression of MtPT6 was induced in roots and nodules by phosphate starvation. In roots, MtPT6 was mainly expressed in vascular tissue and tips, and it was also expressed in cortex under low-phosphate stress; in nodules, it was mainly expressed in vascular bundles, cortical cells, and fixation zone cells. MtPT6 had a close relationship with other PHT1 family members according to amino acid alignment and phylogenetic analysis. Subcellular localization analysis in tobacco revealed that MtPT6 protein was localized to the plasma membrane. The heterologous expression of MtPT6 in Arabidopsis knockout mutants of pht1.1 and pht1.4 made seedlings more susceptible to arsenate treatment, and the phosphate concentrations in pht1.1 were higher in high phosphate condition by expressing MtPT6. We conclude that MtPT6 is a typical phosphate transporter gene and can promote phosphate acquisition efficiency of plants.

ACS Style

Yuman Cao; Jinlong Liu; Yuanying Li; Jing Zhang; Shuxia Li; Yunru An; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. Functional Analysis of the Phosphate Transporter Gene MtPT6 From Medicago truncatula. Frontiers in Plant Science 2021, 11, 1 .

AMA Style

Yuman Cao, Jinlong Liu, Yuanying Li, Jing Zhang, Shuxia Li, Yunru An, Tianming Hu, Peizhi Yang. Functional Analysis of the Phosphate Transporter Gene MtPT6 From Medicago truncatula. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2021; 11 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yuman Cao; Jinlong Liu; Yuanying Li; Jing Zhang; Shuxia Li; Yunru An; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. 2021. "Functional Analysis of the Phosphate Transporter Gene MtPT6 From Medicago truncatula." Frontiers in Plant Science 11, no. : 1.

Preprint content
Published: 07 December 2020
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Alfalfa is an important perennial forage but suffers from salt and osmotic stresses worldwide. Calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) and CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) are reported to play important roles in response to diverse plant stresses, but are largely unvalidated in alfalfa. In this study, we cloned a MsCIPK gene, which contained 1530 bp, coding 509 amino acids, with typical CIPK functional domains. The expression pattern of MsCIPK was measured using qRT-PCR under salt, drought, heat, cold and ABA stresses. Under NaCl, heat and ABA treatment, the expression pattern of MsCIPK was generally similar, with a first steady decrease and then a gradual increase pattern. The highest expression of MsCIPK was all observed at the start point of all treatments, except in cold treatment. Using transgenic tobaccos of MsCIPK, we further measured the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), soluble protein (SOP), and proline (Pro) under 21 days’ salt and 24 hours’ cold treatment. Under both salt and cold conditions, the content of MDA, SOP and Pro had a similar overall increase pattern with the time of treatment. These results indicated that the MsCIPK played an important role in improving alfalfa’s salt and osmotic tolerance.

ACS Style

Xia Zhao; Yushi Liu; Lin Ye; Peizhi Yang; Tianming Hu. MsCIPK, a CBL-interacting Protein Kinase in Medicago sativa L., Confers Salt and Osmotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco. 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Xia Zhao, Yushi Liu, Lin Ye, Peizhi Yang, Tianming Hu. MsCIPK, a CBL-interacting Protein Kinase in Medicago sativa L., Confers Salt and Osmotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco. . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xia Zhao; Yushi Liu; Lin Ye; Peizhi Yang; Tianming Hu. 2020. "MsCIPK, a CBL-interacting Protein Kinase in Medicago sativa L., Confers Salt and Osmotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco." , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 02 March 2020 in BMC Plant Biology
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Background The shade represents one of the major environmental limitations for turfgrass growth. Shade influences plant growth and alters plant metabolism, yet little is known about how shade affects the structure of rhizosphere soil microbial communities and the role of soil microorganisms in plant shade responses. In this study, a glasshouse experiment was conducted to examine the impact of shade on the growth and photosynthetic capacity of two contrasting shade-tolerant turfgrasses, shade-tolerant dwarf lilyturf (Ophiopogon japonicus, OJ) and shade-intolerant perennial turf-type ryegrass (Lolium perenne, LP). We also examined soil-plant feedback effects on shade tolerance in the two turfgrass genotypes. The composition of the soil bacterial community was assayed using high-throughput sequencing. Results OJ maintained higher photosynthetic capacity and root growth than LP under shade stress, thus OJ was found to be more shade-tolerant than LP. Shade-intolerant LP responded better to both shade and soil microbes than shade-tolerant OJ. The shade and live soil decreased LP growth, but increased biomass allocation to shoots in the live soil. The plant shade response index of LP is higher in live soil than sterile soil, driven by weakened soil-plant feedback under shade stress. In contrast, there was no difference in these values for OJ under similar shade and soil treatments. Shade stress had little impact on the diversity of the OJ and the LP bacterial communities, but instead impacted their composition. The OJ soil bacterial communities were mostly composed of Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria. Further pairwise fitting analysis showed that a positive correlation of shade-tolerance in two turfgrasses and their bacterial community compositions. Several soil properties (NO3 −-N, NH4 +-N, AK) showed a tight coupling with several major bacterial communities under shade stress. Moreover, OJ shared core bacterial taxa known to promote plant growth and confer tolerance to shade stress, which suggests common principles underpinning OJ-microbe interactions. Conclusion Soil microorganisms mediate plant responses to shade stress via plant-soil feedback and shade-induced change in the rhizosphere soil bacterial community structure for OJ and LP plants. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding plant-soil interactions and their role in the mechanisms underlying shade tolerance in shade-tolerant turfgrasses.

ACS Style

Juanjuan Fu; Yilan Luo; Pengyue Sun; Jinzhu Gao; Donghao Zhao; Peizhi Yang; Tianming Hu. Effects of shade stress on turfgrasses morphophysiology and rhizosphere soil bacterial communities. BMC Plant Biology 2020, 20, 1 -16.

AMA Style

Juanjuan Fu, Yilan Luo, Pengyue Sun, Jinzhu Gao, Donghao Zhao, Peizhi Yang, Tianming Hu. Effects of shade stress on turfgrasses morphophysiology and rhizosphere soil bacterial communities. BMC Plant Biology. 2020; 20 (1):1-16.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Juanjuan Fu; Yilan Luo; Pengyue Sun; Jinzhu Gao; Donghao Zhao; Peizhi Yang; Tianming Hu. 2020. "Effects of shade stress on turfgrasses morphophysiology and rhizosphere soil bacterial communities." BMC Plant Biology 20, no. 1: 1-16.

Regular article
Published: 05 February 2020 in New Phytologist
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â€ĸRecent studies mainly in Arabidopsis have renewed interest and discussion in some of the key issues in hydrotropism of roots such as the site of water sensing and the involvement of auxin. We examined hydrotropism in maize (Zea mays) primary roots. â€ĸWe determined the site of water sensing along the root using a non‐intrusive method. Kinematic analysis was conducted to investigate spatial root elongation during hydrotropic response. Indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) and other hormones were quantified using LC‐MS/MS. Transcriptome was analyzed using RNAseq. â€ĸMain results: The very tip of the root is the most sensitive to the hydrostimulant; Hydrotropic bending involves coordinated adjustment of spatial cell elongation and cell flux; IAA redistribution occurred in maize roots, preceding hydrotropic bending. The redistribution is caused by a reduction of IAA content on the side facing a hydrostimulant, resulting in a higher IAA content on the dry side; Transcriptomic analysis of the elongation zone prior to bending identified IAA response and lignin synthesis/wall cross‐linking as some of the key processes occurring during the early stages of hydrotropic response. â€ĸWe conclude that maize roots differ from Arabidopsis in the location of hydrostimulant sensing and the involvement of IAA redistribution.

ACS Style

Yafang Wang; Yohannes Afeworki; Sisi Geng; Praveena Kanchupati; Muyu Gu; Chidi Martins; Brady Rude; Haileselassie Tefera; Yongjun Kim; Xijin Ge; Donald Auger; Sixue Chen; Peizhi Yang; Tianming Hu; Yajun Wu. Hydrotropism in the primary roots of maize. New Phytologist 2020, 226, 1796 -1808.

AMA Style

Yafang Wang, Yohannes Afeworki, Sisi Geng, Praveena Kanchupati, Muyu Gu, Chidi Martins, Brady Rude, Haileselassie Tefera, Yongjun Kim, Xijin Ge, Donald Auger, Sixue Chen, Peizhi Yang, Tianming Hu, Yajun Wu. Hydrotropism in the primary roots of maize. New Phytologist. 2020; 226 (6):1796-1808.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yafang Wang; Yohannes Afeworki; Sisi Geng; Praveena Kanchupati; Muyu Gu; Chidi Martins; Brady Rude; Haileselassie Tefera; Yongjun Kim; Xijin Ge; Donald Auger; Sixue Chen; Peizhi Yang; Tianming Hu; Yajun Wu. 2020. "Hydrotropism in the primary roots of maize." New Phytologist 226, no. 6: 1796-1808.

Regular article
Published: 21 December 2019 in New Phytologist
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The plant richness-productivity relationship is a central subject in ecology, yet the mechanisms behind this pattern remain debated. Soil fungi are closely associated with the dynamics of plant communities, however empirical evidence on how fungal communities integrate into the richness-productivity relationships of natural environments is lacking. We used Illumina high-throughput sequencing to identify rhizosphere fungal communities across a natural plant richness gradient at two sites with different fertility conditions, and related the subsequent information to plant richness and productivity to elucidate the role of fungal guilds in integrating the linkages of both plant components. Saprotrophs, mycorrhizal fungi and potential plant pathogens interacted differently between the sites, with saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungal abundances being positively correlated at the high-nutrient site and abundances of mycorrhizal fungi and potential plant pathogens being negatively correlated at the low-nutrient site. The synergistic associations between these fungal guilds with plant richness and productivity operated in concert to promote positive richness-productivity relationships. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the importance of soil fungal guilds in integrating the linkages of plant richness and productivity, and suggest that future work incorporating soil fungal communities into richness-productivity relationships would advance our mechanistic understanding of their linkages.

ACS Style

Wenqing Chen; Jianyu Wang; Zexin Meng; Ran Xu; Jun Chen; Yingjun Zhang; Tianming Hu. Fertility‐related interplay between fungal guilds underlies plant richness–productivity relationships in natural grasslands. New Phytologist 2019, 226, 1129 -1143.

AMA Style

Wenqing Chen, Jianyu Wang, Zexin Meng, Ran Xu, Jun Chen, Yingjun Zhang, Tianming Hu. Fertility‐related interplay between fungal guilds underlies plant richness–productivity relationships in natural grasslands. New Phytologist. 2019; 226 (4):1129-1143.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wenqing Chen; Jianyu Wang; Zexin Meng; Ran Xu; Jun Chen; Yingjun Zhang; Tianming Hu. 2019. "Fertility‐related interplay between fungal guilds underlies plant richness–productivity relationships in natural grasslands." New Phytologist 226, no. 4: 1129-1143.

Original article
Published: 03 October 2019 in Journal of Plant Biology
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Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKXs) are involved in various physiological processes, including cytokinins (CKs) catabolism, root system architecture and response to abiotic stresses in plants. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a widely cultivated forage which is frequently threatened by high salinity, and the potential role of CKXs in alleviating the salt stress in alfalfa lacked attention. In this study, we isolated a CKX gene from alfalfa, MsCKX (MK177192), and identified its biological functions by overexpressing it in Arabidopsis. MsCKX shares high sequence identity with CKX from other legume plants, especially Medicago truncatula (98%). MsCKX was clearly tissue-specific, and it was mainly expressed in roots. In addition, the expression of MsCKX increased under salt stress and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. Overexpression of MsCKX gene increased the activity of CKX, which led to an enlarged root system in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Overexpression of MsCKX gene enhanced salt tolerance of transgenic plants by maintaining a higher K+/Na+ ratio, enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes to scavenge ROS and increasing the expression levels of stress-related genes (P5CS1, DREB2, ion transporters and H+ pumps). Taken together, these results shed light on the roles of MsCKX involved in salt tolerance and may have applications in salt-resistant breeding of alfalfa.

ACS Style

Shuxia Li; Yunru An; Shaya Hailati; Jing Zhang; Yuman Cao; Yushi Liu; Jincai Geng; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. Overexpression of the Cytokinin Oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) from Medicago sativa Enhanced Salt Stress Tolerance of Arabidopsis. Journal of Plant Biology 2019, 62, 374 -386.

AMA Style

Shuxia Li, Yunru An, Shaya Hailati, Jing Zhang, Yuman Cao, Yushi Liu, Jincai Geng, Tianming Hu, Peizhi Yang. Overexpression of the Cytokinin Oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) from Medicago sativa Enhanced Salt Stress Tolerance of Arabidopsis. Journal of Plant Biology. 2019; 62 (5):374-386.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shuxia Li; Yunru An; Shaya Hailati; Jing Zhang; Yuman Cao; Yushi Liu; Jincai Geng; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. 2019. "Overexpression of the Cytokinin Oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) from Medicago sativa Enhanced Salt Stress Tolerance of Arabidopsis." Journal of Plant Biology 62, no. 5: 374-386.

Journal article
Published: 24 September 2018 in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
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Soil fungal communities are critical to decomposition, nutrient cycling and the maintenance of plant diversity and abundance. However, despite global increases in reactive nitrogen (N) inputs to terrestrial ecosystems, due to anthropogenic activities, an explicit evaluation of the direct (resource availability) and indirect (acidification and plant community changes) effects of N enrichment on soil fungal communities in grassland ecosystems remains largely unexplored. In this study, we used Illumina sequencing of the ITS1 barcode region to elucidate the responses of soil fungal communities using a 7-year simulated N deposition experiment that spanned a broad range of N addition rates and made a systematic evaluation of the role and relative importance of N availability, plant community and soil acidification as drivers of soil fungal diversity in a semi-arid grassland ecosystem. Our results showed that N enrichment led to significant declines in soil fungal alpha diversity and promoted strong shifts in beta diversity (community composition) in both surface and subsurface soil layers. We found that N addition-induced soil acidification overwhelmed the effects of increased N availability and plant community changes, and played a primary role in shaping the observed changes in fungal alpha and beta diversity in surface soil. Conversely, in the subsurface soil layer, both fungal alpha and beta diversity were primarily controlled by N addition-induced changes in plant community attributes (i.e., aboveground plant productivity and plant community composition). Thus, our work illustrates the consistent responses of surface and subsurface soil fungal diversity (both alpha and beta diversity) to N addition that are mediated by different mechanisms and provides an integrated insight into how N enrichment could alter soil fungal diversity in semi-arid grassland in future scenarios of elevated N deposition.

ACS Style

Wenqing Chen; Ran Xu; Jun Chen; Xianping Yuan; Lei Zhou; Tianyuan Tan; Jinrui Fan; Yingjun Zhang; Tianming Hu. Consistent responses of surface- and subsurface soil fungal diversity to N enrichment are mediated differently by acidification and plant community in a semi-arid grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 2018, 127, 110 -119.

AMA Style

Wenqing Chen, Ran Xu, Jun Chen, Xianping Yuan, Lei Zhou, Tianyuan Tan, Jinrui Fan, Yingjun Zhang, Tianming Hu. Consistent responses of surface- and subsurface soil fungal diversity to N enrichment are mediated differently by acidification and plant community in a semi-arid grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 2018; 127 ():110-119.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wenqing Chen; Ran Xu; Jun Chen; Xianping Yuan; Lei Zhou; Tianyuan Tan; Jinrui Fan; Yingjun Zhang; Tianming Hu. 2018. "Consistent responses of surface- and subsurface soil fungal diversity to N enrichment are mediated differently by acidification and plant community in a semi-arid grassland." Soil Biology and Biochemistry 127, no. : 110-119.

Original article
Published: 30 November 2017 in Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC)
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Many stress-responsive genes have been identified in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). The function of these genes, however, are mostly not understood. We reported previously a novel stress-responsive gene, MsDUF, from alfalfa that was up-regulated under drought stress. In the present study, we examined its function by overexpressing the gene in Nicotiana tabacum. We found that overexpression of MsDUF reduced seed vigor and germination percentage under normal conditions or osmotic stress. The reduced seed vigor and germination was associated with an increased ABA content in the overexpressor seeds. Further analysis revealed that overexpression of MsDUF resulted in up-regulation of transcript levels of ABA biosynthesis genes (ZEP, NCED1 and NCED6) in the seeds. Compared with wild type, MsDUF-overexpression seedlings displayed significantly lower chlorophyll content and reduced soluble sugar content under normal conditions. MDA content was significantly higher in MsDUF-overexpressors compared to wild type under ABA treatment, while soluble sugar content and peroxidase activities were significantly lower in MsDUF-overexpressors. Our results suggest that MsDUF may act as a negative regulator in controlling seed vigor and responses to osmotic stress in plants.

ACS Style

Yafang Wang; Zhiqiang Zhang; Houmei Liu; Yunru An; Bo Han; Yajun Wu; Leqin Chang; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. Overexpression of an alfalfa (Medicago sativa) gene, MsDUF, negatively impacted seed germination and response to osmotic stress in transgenic tobacco. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) 2017, 132, 525 -534.

AMA Style

Yafang Wang, Zhiqiang Zhang, Houmei Liu, Yunru An, Bo Han, Yajun Wu, Leqin Chang, Tianming Hu, Peizhi Yang. Overexpression of an alfalfa (Medicago sativa) gene, MsDUF, negatively impacted seed germination and response to osmotic stress in transgenic tobacco. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC). 2017; 132 (3):525-534.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yafang Wang; Zhiqiang Zhang; Houmei Liu; Yunru An; Bo Han; Yajun Wu; Leqin Chang; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. 2017. "Overexpression of an alfalfa (Medicago sativa) gene, MsDUF, negatively impacted seed germination and response to osmotic stress in transgenic tobacco." Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) 132, no. 3: 525-534.

Journal article
Published: 08 November 2017 in Soil Biology and Biochemistry
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Soil fungi and plants are tightly linked in pathogenic, commensal, and mutualistic ways. These interactions play a critical role in terrestrial ecosystem decomposition, nutrient cycling, and maintenance of plant productivity and diversity. A comprehensive understanding whether this fundamental plant-fungi relationship persists in ecosystems with increased N input is, however, still lacking. In this study, we investigated the relationships between plant and soil fungal diversity in a 6-year multi-level nitrogen addition experiment in a semi-arid grassland in northern China, using Illumina Miseq sequencing of the ITS1 barcode region for fungal identification. We hypothesized that N-induced changes in plant communities would be positively associated with those in soil fungal communities, and that the corresponding changes in both communities can be explained by the direct functional associations between plant and soil fungal communities and their shared environmental drivers. Our results showed that N-induced changes in plant alpha diversity, i.e., Shannon diversity, showed no significant relationship with those in soil fungal alpha diversity. The lack in significance of the relationship was primarily due to their contrasting correlates with N-induced soil physicochemical variables (i.e., soil available P (AP), inorganic N (NH4+_N and NO3−_N) and organic C content), and weakened plant-fungi functional associations. In contrast to the lack of relationship between plant and soil alpha diversity, we did find a significant positive relationship between plant and fungal beta diversity (compositional dissimilarity between plots) under N enrichment. Our results reveal that the same soil physicochemical variables, including soil AP, inorganic N, moisture, pH, and associated extractable cations, correlated with compositional changes in plant and fungi following N enrichment. The strong coupling of plant and fungal beta diversity could largely be driven by their consistent responses to these shared edaphic factors. As such, our results suggest that information on N-induced changes in plant diversity can be used to predict beta, but not alpha diversity of soil fungal communities in semi-arid grassland ecosystems.

ACS Style

Wenqing Chen; Ran Xu; Yuntao Wu; Jun Chen; Yingjun Zhang; Tianming Hu; Xianping Yuan; Lei Zhou; Tianyuan Tan; Jinrui Fan. Plant diversity is coupled with beta not alpha diversity of soil fungal communities following N enrichment in a semi-arid grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 2017, 116, 388 -398.

AMA Style

Wenqing Chen, Ran Xu, Yuntao Wu, Jun Chen, Yingjun Zhang, Tianming Hu, Xianping Yuan, Lei Zhou, Tianyuan Tan, Jinrui Fan. Plant diversity is coupled with beta not alpha diversity of soil fungal communities following N enrichment in a semi-arid grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 2017; 116 ():388-398.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wenqing Chen; Ran Xu; Yuntao Wu; Jun Chen; Yingjun Zhang; Tianming Hu; Xianping Yuan; Lei Zhou; Tianyuan Tan; Jinrui Fan. 2017. "Plant diversity is coupled with beta not alpha diversity of soil fungal communities following N enrichment in a semi-arid grassland." Soil Biology and Biochemistry 116, no. : 388-398.

Original article
Published: 09 August 2017 in Acta Physiologiae Plantarum
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Ecological stoichiometry has been widely studied in terrestrial ecosystems, but these studies have been limited in terms of symbiotic association between alfalfa and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), especially during regrowth. To evaluate the effect of AMF on the regrowth and C:N:P stoichiometry of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under well-watered and drought conditions, alfalfa plants inoculated with AMF (Rhizophagus irregularis, M), nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Sinorhizobium, R), both nitrogen-fixing bacteria and AMF or no inoculations (CK) were evaluated in a pot experiment under controlled conditions. The biomass and organic carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) nutritional status of plant leaves and roots were measured under two water treatments during regrowth. Water deficit reduced the accumulation of dry matter and the concentrations of C and N in leaves and P in roots but increased the concentrations of P in leaves and C and N in roots of alfalfa during regrowth. Compared to CK plants, inoculation significantly improved the regrowth biomass and the concentrations of C, N and P in the leaves and roots and especially increased P levels when the plant were inoculated with AMF. However, this effect of microbes on alfalfa regrowth was dependent on the soil water status. Drought reduced the C:N and C:P in the leaves and the C:N in roots, while N:P and C:P increased in the roots. Inoculation of AMF decreased the C:P and N:P in the leaves and the C:N and C:P in the roots, whereas it increased the C:N under water stress. These results indicate that AMF play a significant role in regrowth and C:N:P ecological stoichiometry after defoliation by influencing C assimilation, N and P uptake and that the responses in the leaves and the roots are opposite.

ACS Style

Shubin He; Mingxiu Long; Xueqing He; Lixiang Guo; Jieyu Yang; Peizhi Yang; Tianming Hu. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and water availability affect biomass and C:N:P ecological stoichiometry in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) during regrowth. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 2017, 39, 199 .

AMA Style

Shubin He, Mingxiu Long, Xueqing He, Lixiang Guo, Jieyu Yang, Peizhi Yang, Tianming Hu. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and water availability affect biomass and C:N:P ecological stoichiometry in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) during regrowth. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum. 2017; 39 (9):199.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shubin He; Mingxiu Long; Xueqing He; Lixiang Guo; Jieyu Yang; Peizhi Yang; Tianming Hu. 2017. "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and water availability affect biomass and C:N:P ecological stoichiometry in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) during regrowth." Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 39, no. 9: 199.

Journal article
Published: 15 June 2017 in Scientific Reports
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Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a cellulosic biofuel feedstock and their effects on bacterial communities in deep soils remain poorly understood. To reveal the responses of bacterial communities to long-term switchgrass cultivation through the soil profile, we examined the shift of soil microbial communities with depth profiles of 0–60 cm in five-year switchgrass cultivation and fallow plots. The Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that switchgrass cultivation significantly increased microbial OTU richness, rather than microbial Shannon diversity; however, there was no significant difference in the structure of microbial communities between switchgrass cultivation and fallow soils. Both switchgrass cultivation and fallow soils exhibited significant negative vertical spatial decay of microbial similarity, indicating that more vertical depth distant soils had more dissimilar communities. Specifically, switchgrass cultivation soils showed more beta-diversity variations across soil depth profile. Through network analysis, more connections and closer relationships of microbial taxa were observed in soils under switchgrass cultivation, suggesting that microbial co-occurrence patterns were substantially influenced by switchgrass cultivation. Overall, our study suggested that five-year switchgrass cultivation could generated more beta-diversity variations across soil depth and more complex inter-relationships of microbial taxa, although did not significantly shape the structure of soil microbial community.

ACS Style

Shubin He; Lixiang Guo; Mengying Niu; Fuhong Miao; Shuo Jiao; Tianming Hu; Mingxiu Long. Ecological diversity and co-occurrence patterns of bacterial community through soil profile in response to long-term switchgrass cultivation. Scientific Reports 2017, 7, 3608 .

AMA Style

Shubin He, Lixiang Guo, Mengying Niu, Fuhong Miao, Shuo Jiao, Tianming Hu, Mingxiu Long. Ecological diversity and co-occurrence patterns of bacterial community through soil profile in response to long-term switchgrass cultivation. Scientific Reports. 2017; 7 (1):3608.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shubin He; Lixiang Guo; Mengying Niu; Fuhong Miao; Shuo Jiao; Tianming Hu; Mingxiu Long. 2017. "Ecological diversity and co-occurrence patterns of bacterial community through soil profile in response to long-term switchgrass cultivation." Scientific Reports 7, no. 1: 3608.

Journal article
Published: 27 April 2017 in Crop Science
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Praveena Kanchupati; Yafang Wang; M. Rokebul Anower; Arvid Boe; Tianming Hu; Yajun Wu. The CBF-Like Gene Family in Alfalfa: Expression Analyses and Identification of Potential Functional Homologs of Arabidopsis CBF3. Crop Science 2017, 57, 2051 -2063.

AMA Style

Praveena Kanchupati, Yafang Wang, M. Rokebul Anower, Arvid Boe, Tianming Hu, Yajun Wu. The CBF-Like Gene Family in Alfalfa: Expression Analyses and Identification of Potential Functional Homologs of Arabidopsis CBF3. Crop Science. 2017; 57 (4):2051-2063.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Praveena Kanchupati; Yafang Wang; M. Rokebul Anower; Arvid Boe; Tianming Hu; Yajun Wu. 2017. "The CBF-Like Gene Family in Alfalfa: Expression Analyses and Identification of Potential Functional Homologs of Arabidopsis CBF3." Crop Science 57, no. 4: 2051-2063.

Journal article
Published: 03 January 2017 in Scientific Reports
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Melatonin is an important secondary messenger that plays a central role in plant growth, as well as abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. However, the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms of melatonin-mediated cold tolerance, especially interactions between melatonin and other key molecules in the plant stress response, remain unknown. Here, the interrelation between melatonin and abscisic acid (ABA) was investigated in two genotypes of Elymus nutans Griseb., the cold-tolerant Damxung (DX) and the cold-sensitive Gannan (GN) under cold stress. Pre-treatment with exogenous melatonin or ABA alleviated oxidative injury via scavenging ROS, while enhancing both antioxidant enzyme activities and non-enzymatic antioxidant contents. Treatment of fluridone, an ABA biosynthesis inhibitor caused membrane lipid peroxidation and lowered melatonin-induced antioxidant defense responses. It is worth noting that cold stress significantly induced both endogenous melatonin and ABA levels in both genotypes. Application of melatonin increased ABA production, while fluridone significantly suppressed melatonin-induced ABA accumulation. ABA and fluridone pre-treatments failed to affect the endogenous melatonin concentration. Moreover, exogenous melatonin up-regulated the expression of cold-responsive genes in an ABA-independent manner. These results indicate that both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways may contribute to melatonin-induced cold tolerance in E. nutans.

ACS Style

Juanjuan Fu; Ye Wu; Yanjun Miao; Yamei Xu; Enhua Zhao; Jin Wang; Huaien Sun; Qian Liu; Yongwei Xue; Yuefei Xu; Tianming Hu. Improved cold tolerance in Elymus nutans by exogenous application of melatonin may involve ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways. Scientific Reports 2017, 7, 39865 .

AMA Style

Juanjuan Fu, Ye Wu, Yanjun Miao, Yamei Xu, Enhua Zhao, Jin Wang, Huaien Sun, Qian Liu, Yongwei Xue, Yuefei Xu, Tianming Hu. Improved cold tolerance in Elymus nutans by exogenous application of melatonin may involve ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways. Scientific Reports. 2017; 7 (1):39865.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Juanjuan Fu; Ye Wu; Yanjun Miao; Yamei Xu; Enhua Zhao; Jin Wang; Huaien Sun; Qian Liu; Yongwei Xue; Yuefei Xu; Tianming Hu. 2017. "Improved cold tolerance in Elymus nutans by exogenous application of melatonin may involve ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways." Scientific Reports 7, no. 1: 39865.

Journal article
Published: 04 November 2016 in BMC Genomics
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Elymus nutans Griseb., is an important alpine perennial forage of Pooideae subfamily with strong inherited cold tolerance. To get a deeper insight into its molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance, we compared the transcriptome profiling by RNA-Seq in two genotypes of Elymus nutans Griseb. the tolerant Damxung (DX) and the sensitive Gannan (GN) under cold stress. The new E. nutans transcriptomes were assembled and comprised 200,520 and 181,331 transcripts in DX and GN, respectively. Among them, 5436 and 4323 genes were differentially expressed in DX and GN, with 170 genes commonly expressed over time. Early cold responses involved numerous genes encoding transcription factors and signal transduction in both genotypes. The AP2/EREBP famliy of transcription factors was predominantly expressed in both genotypes. The most significant transcriptomic changes in the later phases of cold stress are associated with oxidative stress, primary and secondary metabolism, and photosynthesis. Higher fold expressions of fructan, trehalose, and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism-related genes were detected in DX. The DX-specific dehydrins may be promising candidates to improve cold tolerance. Twenty-six hub genes played a central role in both genotypes under cold stress. qRT-PCR analysis of 26 genes confirmed the RNA-Seq results. The stronger transcriptional differentiation during cold stress in DX explains its better cold tolerance compared to GN. The identified fructan biosynthesis, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, and DX-specific dehydrin-related genes may provide genetic resources for the improvement of cold-tolerant characters in DX. Our findings provide important clues for further studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying cold stress responses in plants.

ACS Style

Juanjuan Fu; Yanjun Miao; Linhui Shao; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. De novo transcriptome sequencing and gene expression profiling of Elymus nutans under cold stress. BMC Genomics 2016, 17, 1 -19.

AMA Style

Juanjuan Fu, Yanjun Miao, Linhui Shao, Tianming Hu, Peizhi Yang. De novo transcriptome sequencing and gene expression profiling of Elymus nutans under cold stress. BMC Genomics. 2016; 17 (1):1-19.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Juanjuan Fu; Yanjun Miao; Linhui Shao; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. 2016. "De novo transcriptome sequencing and gene expression profiling of Elymus nutans under cold stress." BMC Genomics 17, no. 1: 1-19.

Journal article
Published: 01 October 2016 in Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology
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Juanjuan Fu; Roger N. Gates; Yuefei Xu; Tianming Hu. Diffusion limitations and metabolic factors associated with inhibition and recovery of photosynthesis following cold stress in Elymus nutans Griseb. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology 2016, 163, 30 -39.

AMA Style

Juanjuan Fu, Roger N. Gates, Yuefei Xu, Tianming Hu. Diffusion limitations and metabolic factors associated with inhibition and recovery of photosynthesis following cold stress in Elymus nutans Griseb. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology. 2016; 163 ():30-39.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Juanjuan Fu; Roger N. Gates; Yuefei Xu; Tianming Hu. 2016. "Diffusion limitations and metabolic factors associated with inhibition and recovery of photosynthesis following cold stress in Elymus nutans Griseb." Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology 163, no. : 30-39.

Short communication
Published: 05 September 2016 in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
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Many beneficial effects of symbiotic rhizobia on leguminous plants have been reported. Here we report a novel effect of rhizobia on forage quality in alfalfa. We found that nodulated alfalfa showed an increase in lignin content and a decrease in digestibility in comparison with non-nodulated plants. Detailed studies revealed that nodulation resulted in an increase in monolignol G unit and S unit. An overall increase in lignin content in nodulated alfalfa was associated with more lignified tissues in the stem and an upregulation of transcript levels of several lignin biosynthesis genes. We hypothesize that an increase in lignin content in nodulated alfalfa is a result of defensive response in plants to rhizobial invasion.

ACS Style

Zhiqiang Zhang; Linhui Shao; Leqin Chang; Yuman Cao; Tong Zhang; Yafang Wang; Yushi Liu; Pan Zhang; Xiaoqin Sun; Yajun Wu; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. Effect of rhizobia symbiosis on lignin levels and forage quality in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2016, 233, 55 -59.

AMA Style

Zhiqiang Zhang, Linhui Shao, Leqin Chang, Yuman Cao, Tong Zhang, Yafang Wang, Yushi Liu, Pan Zhang, Xiaoqin Sun, Yajun Wu, Tianming Hu, Peizhi Yang. Effect of rhizobia symbiosis on lignin levels and forage quality in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 2016; 233 ():55-59.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhiqiang Zhang; Linhui Shao; Leqin Chang; Yuman Cao; Tong Zhang; Yafang Wang; Yushi Liu; Pan Zhang; Xiaoqin Sun; Yajun Wu; Tianming Hu; Peizhi Yang. 2016. "Effect of rhizobia symbiosis on lignin levels and forage quality in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)." Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 233, no. : 55-59.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2016 in Biologia plantarum
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Nitric oxide (NO) and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA) play fundamental roles in plant responses to environmental stresses, but their cross-talk in antioxidant defense in cold-stressed Elymus nutans Griseb. has not been investigated. We herein report that 5ALA and NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), alleviated cold stress-induced plant growth inhibition and lipid peroxidation in roots of two E. nutans genotypes (Damxung, DX and Zhengdao, ZD). However, application of an NO scavenger, 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide potassium salt (PTIO), differentially blocked these protective effects, indicating that an inhibition of NO accumulation reduced 5ALAenhanced cold resistance. Application of exogenous 5ALA or NO markedly up-regulated the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, enhanced reduced glutathione accumulation and reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione ratio, activated plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPase, and reduced Na+/K+ ratio in roots of two E. nutans genotypes. Moreover, in the presence of 5ALA, the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and NO release in cold-resistant DX were higher than those in cold-sensitive ZD. Conversely, both NO treatment and an inhibition of endogenous NO accumulation by PTIO or NOS inhibitor NΉ-nitro-L-arginine did not induce 5ALA production. These results suggest that NO might be acting as a downstream signal to mediate 5ALA-induced cold resistance by activating of antioxidant defense and PM H+-ATPase and maintaining Na+ and K+ homeostasis.

ACS Style

J. J. Fu; X. T. Chu; Y. F. Sun; Y. F. Xu; T. M. Hu. Involvement of nitric oxide in 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced antioxidant defense in roots of Elymus nutans exposed to cold stress. Biologia plantarum 2016, 60, 585 -594.

AMA Style

J. J. Fu, X. T. Chu, Y. F. Sun, Y. F. Xu, T. M. Hu. Involvement of nitric oxide in 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced antioxidant defense in roots of Elymus nutans exposed to cold stress. Biologia plantarum. 2016; 60 (3):585-594.

Chicago/Turabian Style

J. J. Fu; X. T. Chu; Y. F. Sun; Y. F. Xu; T. M. Hu. 2016. "Involvement of nitric oxide in 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced antioxidant defense in roots of Elymus nutans exposed to cold stress." Biologia plantarum 60, no. 3: 585-594.

Original article
Published: 18 August 2016 in Acta Physiologiae Plantarum
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Low temperatures limit plant growth, development, and reproductive success. A series of complex adaptive responses in plants evolved to withstand this environmental challenge. Here, eight accessions of Elymus nutans, which originated in Tibet at altitudes between 3720 and 5012 m above sea level, were used to identify heritable adaptations to chilling stress. Dynamic responses of phytohormone, sugar, and gene expression levels related to chilling tolerance were analyzed. During the initial stage of chilling stress (0–24 h), some high-altitude E. nutans accessions exhibited rapid increases in abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), and zeatin content. This coordinated with decreases in the levels of auxin (IAA), salicylic acid (SA), gibberellins (GA), and the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). EnCBF9 and EnCBF14 expression in the high-altitude accessions, Baqing, Xainza, Damxung, and Ali, increased within 1 h of chilling exposure, while chilling induction of EnCOR14a was detected after 3 h of chilling stress. Accessions from high altitudes displayed an increased sucrose and raffinose accumulation and a reduced degradation of chlorophyll under chilling stress. After 24–120 h of chilling exposure, plant adaptation to the chilling treatment was associated with a lower accumulation of ABA and moderate rise of zeatin, IAA, GA, ACC, SA, and JA. EnCBF9, EnCBF14, and EnCOR14a genes were down-regulated during the late stage of chilling stress. Taken together, the dynamic responses of phytohormones and sugars, and the higher expression of the EnCBFs and EnCOR genes play critical roles in the acclimation to chilling in high-altitude accessions of E. nutans, thereby allowing them to achieve higher chilling tolerance.

ACS Style

Juanjuan Fu; Yuefei Xu; Yanjun Miao; Tianming Hu. Altitude variation in chilling tolerance among natural populations of Elymus nutans in the Tibetan Plateau. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 2016, 38, 218 .

AMA Style

Juanjuan Fu, Yuefei Xu, Yanjun Miao, Tianming Hu. Altitude variation in chilling tolerance among natural populations of Elymus nutans in the Tibetan Plateau. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum. 2016; 38 (9):218.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Juanjuan Fu; Yuefei Xu; Yanjun Miao; Tianming Hu. 2016. "Altitude variation in chilling tolerance among natural populations of Elymus nutans in the Tibetan Plateau." Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 38, no. 9: 218.