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Metabolomics analysis reveals the responses of tea plants to excessive calcium
Author(s) -
Liang LiLi,
Song Yakang,
Qian Wenjun,
Ruan Jianyun,
Ding ZhaoTang,
Zhang Qunfeng,
Hu Jianhui
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.11222
Subject(s) - calcium , chemistry , calcium metabolism , food science , metabolism , botany , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry
BACKGROUND The proper growth and development of tea plants requires moderately acidic soils and relatively low calcium levels, and excessive calcium at high pH can damage tea plant roots. To reveal the effects of calcium on the responses of tea plant to three pH levels (3.5, 5.0 and 6.5), a repeated test of two factors was designed. RESULTS Root growth and elemental analysis indicated that excessive calcium improved the growth of tea roots at low pH conditions, whereas it did not harm the growth of tea roots under normal and high pH conditions, especially at pH 6.5. Excessive calcium antagonized the absorption and utilization of magnesium by tea plants. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry results showed that the addition of Ca 2+ resulted in the primary metabolism in roots being more active at a low pH level. By contrast, it had obvious adverse effects on the accumulation of root metabolites with high calcium treatment at normal or high pH. Differential metabolites identified using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry indicated that flavonoids demonstrated the largest number of changes, and their biosynthesis was partially enriched with excessive calcium at low and high pH conditions, whereas it was down‐regulated under normal pH conditions. Kaempferol 3‐(2′‐rhamnosyl‐6′‐acetylgalactoside) 7‐rhamnoside, quercetin 3‐(6′‐sinapoylsophorotrioside) and delphinidin 3‐(3′‐ p ‐coumaroylglucoside) showed the greatest increase. The results of gene expression related to root growth and calcium regulation were consistent with root growth and root metabolism. CONCLUSION The overall results demonstrated that high Ca concentrations further aggravate the detrimental effects of high pH to tea roots. However, it is interesting that excessive calcium reduced the harm of a low pH on tea root growth to some extent. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.