Inoculation with Clariodeoglomus etunicatum improves leaf food quality of tea exposed to P stress

Jin-Li CAO; Ya-Dong  SHAO; Ying-Ning ZOU; Qiang-Sheng WU; Tian-Yuan YANG; Kamil KUČA

doi:10.15835/nbha49112166

Authors

Jin-Li CAO Yangtze University, College of Horticulture and Gardening, Jingzhou, Hubei 434025 (CN)
Ya-Dong SHAO Yangtze University, College of Horticulture and Gardening, Jingzhou, Hubei 434025 (CN)
Ying-Ning ZOU Yangtze University, College of Horticulture and Gardening, Jingzhou, Hubei 434025 (CN)
Qiang-Sheng WU Yangtze University, College of Horticulture and Gardening, Jingzhou, Hubei 434025; State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036; University of Hradec Kralove, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Hradec Kralove 50003 (CN)
Tian-Yuan YANG State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036 (CN)
Kamil KUČA University of Hradec Kralove, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Hradec Kralove 50003 (CZ)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha49112166

Keywords:

catechins; flavonoid; mycorrhiza; secondary metabolites; white tea

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Clariodeoglomus etunicatum, on leaf food quality and relevant gene expression levels of tea (Camellia sinensis cv. ‘Fuding Dabaicha’) seedlings exposed to 0.5 μM P (P_0.5) and 50 μM P (P₅₀) levels. Twenty-four weeks later, the seedlings recorded higher root mycorrhizal fungal colonization in P₅₀ than in P_0.5. AMF-inoculated tea plants represented significantly higher leaf fructose and glucose contents and lower sucrose content than non-inoculated plants, irrespective of substate P levels. AMF treatment also increased total amino acids content in P_0.5 and P₅₀, accompanied with higher expression of glutamate dehydrogenase (CsGDH) and lower expression of glutamine synthetase (CsGS) and glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase (CsGOGAT). The total flavonoid content was higher in mycorrhizal versus non-mycorrhizal plants under P_0.5 and P₅₀, together with induced expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (CsPAL) and cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase (CsC4H). Mycorrhizal fungal inoculation improved catechins content, which is due to the up-regulated expression of flavanone 3-hydroxylase (CsF3H), flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (CsF3'H), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (CsDFR), leucoanthocyanidin reductase (CsLAR), anthocyanidin reductase (CsANR), and chalcone isomerase (CsCHI) under P_0.5. However, under P₅₀, the gene involved in catechins synthesis was not affected or down-regulated by mycorrhization, implying a complex mechanism (e.g. nutrient improvement). AMF also inhibited the tea caffeine synthase 1 (CsTCS1) expression regardless of P levels. Therefore, the results of this study concluded that inoculation with C. etunicatum improves leaf food quality of tea exposed to P stress, but the improved mechanisms were different between P_0.5 and P₅₀.

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