Inducing fast-growth and high drought tolerance in Zoysia matrella via cold plasma-irradiated callus
摘要
Zoysiagrass (Zoysia matrella) is a warm-season turfgrass, but its slow growth rate and poor drought tolerance restrict its industrial use. In this research, zoysiagrass callus (undifferentiated parenchymal cell masses derived from dedifferentiated living cells with the capacity for whole-plant regeneration through redifferentiation) was irradiated with cold plasma at different dose. The results indicated that 483 W was the optimal dose for maximizing callus survival while maintaining mutagenic efficiency. Cold plasma induced diverse phenotypic variations, including alterations in leaf shape, stolon growth, and spike characteristics. After evaluations of turfgrass quality, growth performance, and sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) molecular marker analysis, four high-quality and fast-growing mutants was selected. Among them, two mutants also showed better drought tolerance. This study confirms that cold plasma-mediated callus irradiation is an effective approach for creating novel zoysiagrass germplasm.