A Preliminary Study on Expression of Zinc Transporter Gene of Cassava Grown in Nutrient Solutions with some Physiological and Biochemical Responses

Abstract

Cassava growth can be affected by either zinc (Zn) defi ciency or excess supply throughout the crop cycle. In this study, cassava plants (cv. KU50) were grown in Enshi’s nutrient solutions combined with three Zn levels (0, 1.0 and 10.0 μM) in a plastic house. Procedures covering sampling and replacement with fresh nutrient solutions were conducted weekly. The results indicated that the Zn application at 10.0 μM produced a signifi cant increase in shoot and total dry matter. The dry weight shoot-root ratio showed a signifi cant increase at all Zn levels. Thus, Zn nutrient promoted shoots more than roots during the early growth stage of cassava. An increased Zn supply increased the cassava Zn accumulation and Zn uptake, but decreased the Zn utilization effi ciency. Under different Zn conditions, the partial MeZIP gene was observed in all plant parts. At a Zn-defi cient level, the transcription patterns of the partial MeZIP showed high expression in the roots rather than in the stems and leaves. The differential expression of the MeZIP gene corresponded to the different Zn levels. This implied that the partial MeZIP gene refl ected plant performance to overcome the Zn defi ciency.