Severe salinity reshapes the ionomic and metabolic profiles of quinoa leaves and seeds in a genotype-dependent manner
- 1Department of Plant Stress and Plant Pathology, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
- 2Quinoa Quality ApS
Abstract
Quinoa ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a highly salt-tolerant crop with considerable potential for cultivation in salt-affected areas. However, responses to severe salinity may differ among genotypes and between vegetative and reproductive organs. In this study, five quinoa genotypes, two of Andean origin and three of European origin, were exposed to 400 mM NaCl, and their growth, reproductive performance, ionomic composition, nitrogen allocation, and primary metabolome were evaluated in leaves and seeds. Despite substantial reductions in plant biomass and seed yield, all genotypes completed their life cycle and produced seeds under severe salinity. Growth and yield responses were presominantly genotype-dependent, although the three European genotypes examined showed a higher harvest index than the two Andean genotypes under both control and saline conditions. Salinity induced marked Na ⁺ and Cl ⁻ accumulation and genotype-dependent changes in K ⁺ homeostasis. Among the genotypes examined, seed K ⁺ increased in both Andean genotypes but remained unchanged in the three European genotypes, whereas leaf K ⁺ was maintained or increased in the European genotypes but decreased or remained unchanged in the Andean genotypes. Salinity also enhanced glycinebetaine accumulation in both leaves and seeds and altered leaf nitrogen distribution, with the magnitude of these responses varying among genotypes. ¹ H-NMR-based metabolomic analysis revealed extensive genotype-dependent changes in primary metabolism. In leaves, proline generally accumulated, whereas several abundant amino acids and TCA-cycle intermediates decreased or showed contrasting responses among genotypes. Seed metabolic profiles also showed marked genotype-dependent responses to severe salinity. Overall, the results indicate that the response of quinoa to 400 mM NaCl involves common responses, including enhanced glycinebetaine accumulation, together with pronounced genotype-dependent adjustments in growth, reproductive performance, ion homeostasis, nitrogen allocation, and primary metabolism.
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BibTeX
@article{fernandezgarcia2026severe,
title = {{Severe salinity reshapes the ionomic and metabolic profiles of quinoa leaves and seeds in a genotype-dependent manner}},
author = {Nieves Fernandez-Garcia and Inmaculada Roman-Garcia and Sven-Erick Jacobsen and Enrique Olmos},
journal = {Frontiers in Plant Science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpls.2026.1991117},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1991117/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Severe salinity reshapes the ionomic and metabolic profiles of quinoa leaves and seeds in a genotype-dependent manner
AU - Nieves Fernandez-Garcia
AU - Inmaculada Roman-Garcia
AU - Sven-Erick Jacobsen
AU - Enrique Olmos
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Frontiers in Plant Science
DO - 10.3389/fpls.2026.1991117
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2026.1991117/full
AB - Quinoa ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a highly salt-tolerant crop with considerable potential for cultivation in salt-affected areas. However, responses to severe salinity may differ among genotypes and between vegetative and reproductive organs. In this study, five quinoa genotypes, two of Andean origin and three of European origin, were exposed to 400 mM NaCl, and their growth, reproductive performance, ionomic composition, nitrogen allocation, and primary metabolome were evaluated in leaves and seeds. Despite substantial reductions in plant biomass and seed yield, all genotypes completed their life cycle and produced seeds under severe salinity. Growth and yield responses were presominantly genotype-dependent, although the three European genotypes examined showed a higher harvest index than the two Andean genotypes under both control and saline conditions. Salinity induced marked Na ⁺ and Cl ⁻ accumulation and genotype-dependent changes in K ⁺ homeostasis. Among the genotypes examined, seed K ⁺ increased in both Andean genotypes but remained unchanged in the three European genotypes, whereas leaf K ⁺ was maintained or increased in the European genotypes but decreased or remained unchanged in the Andean genotypes. Salinity also enhanced glycinebetaine accumulation in both leaves and seeds and altered leaf nitrogen distribution, with the magnitude of these responses varying among genotypes. ¹ H-NMR-based metabolomic analysis revealed extensive genotype-dependent changes in primary metabolism. In leaves, proline generally accumulated, whereas several abundant amino acids and TCA-cycle intermediates decreased or showed contrasting responses among genotypes. Seed metabolic profiles also showed marked genotype-dependent responses to severe salinity. Overall, the results indicate that the response of quinoa to 400 mM NaCl involves common responses, including enhanced glycinebetaine accumulation, together with pronounced genotype-dependent adjustments in growth, reproductive performance, ion homeostasis, nitrogen allocation, and primary metabolism.
SN - 1664-462X
ER -