Rice Grains from Slightly Saline Field Exhibited Unchanged Starch Physicochemical Properties but Enhanced Nutritional Values

This study aims to investigate grain quality and nutritional values of rice(Pokkali,a salt-tolerant cultivar;RD73,a new cultivar improved from KDML105 introgressed with Saltol QTL from Pokkali,and KDML105,a moderately salt-susceptible cultivar)grown under non-saline(0.04–0.87 dS/m)and slightly saline(1.08–4.83 dS/m)field conditions.The results revealed that salinity caused significant reduction in grain size but significant increments in reducing sugar and total protein contents in the grains.Nevertheless,the amounts of starch in the grains of KDML105 and Pokkali rice genotypes were unaffected by the stress.The starch granule size distribution was also unaffected by salinity.Interestingly,only starch from Pokkali was significantly diminished in amylose content,from 19.18%to 16.99%.Accordingly,parameters relating to starch gelatinization,retrogradation,and pasting properties of KDML105 and RD73 were unaffected by salinity;only Pokkali showed a significant increase in percentage of retrogradation along with a significant reduction in gelatinization enthalpy.In the saline field,total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in the grains of all rice cultivars tended to increase,particularly in Pokkali.On average,essential element contents in grains from the saline-treated plants showed a 33%,32%,32%,22%,20%,11%,and 10%increase in total P,N,K,Mg,Zn,Fe,and Ca content,respectively.Interestingly,total Fe content exhibited the greatest percentage of increments in KDML105(187%).Taken together,cultivation of rice in the slightly saline field did not alter its eating and cooking qualities,while enhanced some nutritional properties such as proteins,minerals,and secondary metabolites like phenolic compounds.

Differential Proteins Expressed in Rice Leaves and Grains in Response to Salinity and Exogenous Spermidine Treatments

Exogenous application of spermidine（Spd） has been reported to modulate physiological processes and alleviate salt-induced damage to growth and productivity of several plants including rice. Employing a proteomic approach, we aimed at identifying rice leaf and grain proteins differentially expressing under salt stress, and in response to Spd prior to Na Cl treatment. A total of 9 and 20 differentially expressed protein spots were identified in the leaves of salt-tolerant（Pokkali） and saltsensitive（KDML105） rice cultivars, respectively. Differential proteins common to both cultivars included a photosynthetic light reaction protein（oxygen-evolving complex protein 1）, enzymes of Calvin cycle and glycolysis（fructose-bisphosphate aldolase and triose-phosphate isomerase）, malate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase and a hypothetical protein（Os I_18213）. Most proteins were present at higher intensities in Pokkali leaves. The photosynthetic oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 2 was detected only in Pokkali and was up-regulated by salt-stress and further enhanced by Spd treatment. All three spots identified as superoxide dismutase in KDML105 were up-regulated by Na Cl but down-regulated when treated with Spd prior to Na Cl, indicating that Spd acted directly as antioxidants. Important differential stress proteins detected in mature grains of both rice cultivars were late embryogenesis abundant proteins with protective roles and an antioxidant protein, 1-Cys-peroxiredoxin. Higher salt tolerance of Pokkali partly resulted from higher intensities and more responsiveness of the proteins relating to photosynthesis light reactions, energy metabolism, antioxidant enzymes in the leaves, and stress proteins with protective roles in the grains.