Growth, photosynthesis and H+-ATPase activity in two Jerusalem artichoke varieties under NaCl-induced stress

► NY-1 and QY-2 are tolerant to salt, but they have different tolerance strategies. ► NY-1 has a higher activity of H+-ATPase and lower Pn, Gs and Tr than QY-2. ► QY-2 kept a higher proline increasing rate and produced more chlorophyll under salt stress. ► The finding provides the possibility for selecting salt-tolerant genotypes of H. tuberosus. In order to evaluate differential growth, photosynthesis and H+-ATPase activity responses to salt-induced stress, two Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) genotypes (Nanyu No. 1 and Qingyu No. 2) were used in sand-culture experiment with different concentrations of NaCl (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150mM). After 20 days of growth, the NaCl stress resulted in a decrease of biomass accumulation, relative leaf expansion rate and photosynthetic rate, but an increase of proline content in both genotypes. Compared with Qingyu No. 2, Nanyu No. 1 had lower biomass, photosynthetic rate, gas exchange and transpiration rate, but higher proline content, activities of plasma membrane H+-ATPase (PM H+-ATPase) and vacuolar membrane H+-ATPase (VM H+-ATPase). Hence, the NaCl adaptation strategy in Nanyu No. 1 was by lowering photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate while maintaining high H+-ATPase activities, whereas the adjustment of Qingyu No. 2 was by keeping much higher rate of proline accumulation and concentration of chlorophyll. The differences in salt tolerance showed that different adaptation mechanisms existed between cultivars of Jerusalem artichoke. The findings offered the possibility of selecting salt-tolerant genotypes of Jerusalem artichoke.