Unique starch granules in Vigna riukiuensis adsorb and detoxify sodium

July 06, 2023

Identifying the unique salt tolerance mechanism that protects leaves from damage by sodium accumulation

The research group, comprising the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Tsukuba University, the University of Tokyo, and the RIKEN CSRS, found out that Vigna riukiuensis, a close relative of Vigna angularis, accumulates unique starch granules in the leaves, which adsorb and isolate, and thereby detoxify sodium. This newly identified salt tolerance mechanism differs from the suppression of sodium allocation to the leaves of general salt-tolerant plants. So, these findings are anticipated to be applied to developing salt-tolerant crops.

Original article

Journal of Plant Research doi: 10.1007/s10265-023-01470-8

Y. Noda, A. Hirose, M. Wakazaki, M. Sato, K. Toyooka, N. Kawachi K. Tanoi, J. Furukawa, K. Naito,

"Starch-dependent sodium allocation in the leaves of Vigna riukiuensis".

Contact

Kiminori Toyooka
Senior Technical Scientist
Mass Spectrometry and Microscopy Unit