Ncl Synchronously Regulates Na+, K+, and Cl- in Soybean and Greatly Increases the Grain Yield in Saline Field Conditions

Sci Rep. 2016 Jan 8:6:19147. doi: 10.1038/srep19147.

Abstract

Salt stress inhibits soybean growth and reduces gain yield. Genetic improvement of salt tolerance is essential for sustainable soybean production in saline areas. In this study, we isolated a gene (Ncl) that could synchronously regulate the transport and accumulation of Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) from a Brazilian soybean cultivar FT-Abyara using map-based cloning strategy. Higher expression of the salt tolerance gene Ncl in the root resulted in lower accumulations of Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) in the shoot under salt stress. Transfer of Ncl with the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method into a soybean cultivar Kariyutaka significantly enhanced its salt tolerance. Introgression of the tolerance allele into soybean cultivar Jackson, using DNA marker-assisted selection (MAS), produced an improved salt tolerance line. Ncl could increase soybean grain yield by 3.6-5.5 times in saline field conditions. Using Ncl in soybean breeding through gene transfer or MAS would contribute to sustainable soybean production in saline-prone areas.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agrobacterium / genetics
  • Agrobacterium / metabolism
  • Edible Grain / genetics*
  • Edible Grain / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Genetic Engineering
  • Genetic Vectors / metabolism
  • Glycine max / genetics*
  • Glycine max / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / genetics*
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Salinity
  • Salt Tolerance / genetics*
  • Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters / genetics*
  • Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters / metabolism
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Transformation, Genetic
  • Transgenes

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters