Comparative metabolomics of two saline-alkali tolerant plants <i>Suaeda glauca</i> and <i>Puccinellia tenuiflora</i> based on GC-MS platform

Abstract

<i>Suaeda glauca</i> and <i>Puccinellia tenuiflora</i> are two important saline-alkali tolerant plants that can improve the soil properties. For exploring the different tolerance mechanisms between them, GC-MS-based metabolomics was used to comprehensively evaluate the primary metabolites differences, a total of 51 different metabolites were present in different quantities. The identified compounds were mainly 11 sugars, 7 amino acids, 5 alcohols and 18 organic acids; they play an important role in responding to the saline-alkali stress and distinguish between <i>S. glauca</i> and <i>P. tenuiflora</i>. All identified metabolites classes showed similar trend to largely accumulate in <i>P. tenuiflora</i> roots and <i>S. glauca</i> shoots, this reveals that the two plants used different physiological strategies to cope with saline-alkali stress.