The possible involvement of polyamines in the salt stress adaptation was investigated in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) plantlets focusing on photosynthesis and oxidative metabolism. Salt stress resulted in the deterioration of plant growth and photosynthesis, and treatment of plantlets with methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), a S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) inhibitor, enhanced the salt stress effect. A decrease in PSII quantum yield (Fv/Fm), effective PSII quantum yield (Y(II)) and coefficient of photochemical quenching (qP) as well as increases in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and its coefficient (qN) was observed by these treatments. Salt and/or MGBG treatments also triggered an increase in lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation as well as an increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POX) activities, but not ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity. Salt stress also resulted in an accumulation of oxidized ascorbate (DHA) and a decrease in reduced glutathione. MGBG alone or in combination with salt stress increased monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), SOD and POX activities and surprisingly no accumulation of DHA was noticed following treatment with MGBG. These salt-induced responses correlated with the maintaining of high level of free and conjugated spermidine and spermine, whereas a reduction of agmatine and putrescine levels was observed, which seemed to be amplified by the MGBG treatment. These results suggest that maintaining polyamine biosynthesis through the enhanced SAMDC activity in grapevine leaf tissues under salt stress conditions could contribute to the enhanced ROS scavenging activity and a protection of photosynthetic apparatus from oxidative damages.

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Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae is a major limiting factor for tomato production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ligand 2,5-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (L) and its complex bis[μ-2,5-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-κ(4)N(2),N(3):N(4),N(5)]bis[dihydrato-κO)nickel(II)] as activators of plant defenses in controlling Verticillium wilt. In the greenhouse, they protected tomato plants against V. dahliae when they were applied twice as foliar sprays at 100 μg mL(-1). A synergistic effect was observed between the ligand L and the transition metal Ni, with disease incidence reduced by 38% with L and 57% with Ni2L2. Verticillium wilt foliar symptoms and vascular browning index were reduced by 82% for L and 95% for Ni2L2. This protection ability was associated with the induction of an oxidative burst and the activation of the total phenolic content as well as potentiation of the activity of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase. These results demonstrated that L and Ni2L2 can be considered as new activators of plant defense responses.

These results demonstrated that the coordination of the ligand with Ni associated with the azide as a coligand resulted in an improvement in its biological activity by both inhibiting the growth of V. dahliae and activating plant defence responses. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

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