(Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, 2023-05)
Mota Ituarte, María del Socorro; Pedroza Sandoval, Aurelio; Minjares Fuentes, José Rafael; Trejo Calzada, Ricardo; Zegbe Domínguez, Jorge A.; Quezada Rivera, Jesús Josafath; Sáenz Mata, Jorge
Aloe vera (L.) is a well-known plant with valuable properties attributed to the
polysaccharides present in its gel, particularly acemannan. However, the structure
and composition of these polysaccharides can be influenced by environmental
factors prevailing in arid regions. This study aimed to compare the morphometric
and molecular behavior of A. vera under semi-controlled conditions of shade
netting in response to water deficit and salinity. A randomized block design with
four replications was used, featuring large plots with two soil moisture contents
(20.7% field capacity and 12.3% permanent wilting point) and small plots with five
salinity levels (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mM NaCl). Results showed a reduction in leaf
width and thickness, fresh biomass, and gel percentage, but an improvement in
gel quality. Additionally, an RNA extraction method suitable for samples with high
polysaccharide content is described. Finally, RT-qPCR (Reverse Transcription
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction) analysis revealed a positive regulation
of a glucomannan mannosyltransferase (GMMT) gen of A. vera induced by
salinity and salt-water stress combination.