Salt Stress Responses of Different Rice Varieties at Panicle Initiation: Agronomic Traits, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidants

The utilization of saline–alkali land for rice cultivation is critical for global food security. However, most existing studies on rice salt tolerance focus on the seedling stage, with limited insights into tolerance mechanisms during reproductive growth, particularly at the panicle initiation stage...

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Main Authors: Yusheng Li, Yuxiang Xue, Zhuangzhuang Guan, Zhenhang Wang, Daijie Hou, Tingcheng Zhao, Xutong Lu, Yucheng Qi, Yanbo Hao, Jinqi Liu, Lin Li, Haider Sultan, Xiayu Guo, Zhiyong Ai, Aibin He
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2278
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author Yusheng Li
Yuxiang Xue
Zhuangzhuang Guan
Zhenhang Wang
Daijie Hou
Tingcheng Zhao
Xutong Lu
Yucheng Qi
Yanbo Hao
Jinqi Liu
Lin Li
Haider Sultan
Xiayu Guo
Zhiyong Ai
Aibin He
author_facet Yusheng Li
Yuxiang Xue
Zhuangzhuang Guan
Zhenhang Wang
Daijie Hou
Tingcheng Zhao
Xutong Lu
Yucheng Qi
Yanbo Hao
Jinqi Liu
Lin Li
Haider Sultan
Xiayu Guo
Zhiyong Ai
Aibin He
author_sort Yusheng Li
collection DOAJ
description The utilization of saline–alkali land for rice cultivation is critical for global food security. However, most existing studies on rice salt tolerance focus on the seedling stage, with limited insights into tolerance mechanisms during reproductive growth, particularly at the panicle initiation stage (PI). Leveraging precision salinity-control facilities, this study imposed four salt stress gradients (0, 3, 5, and 7‰) to dissect the differential response mechanisms of six rice varieties (YXYZ: Yuxiangyouzhan, JLY3261: Jingliangyou3261, SLY91: Shuangliangyou91, SLY138: Shuangliangyou138, HLYYHSM: Hualiangyouyuehesimiao, and SLY11:Shuangliangyou111) during PI. The results revealed that increasing salinity significantly reduced tiller number (13.14–68.04%), leaf area index (18.58–57.99%), canopy light interception rate (11.91–44.08%), and net photosynthetic rate (2.63–52.42%) (<i>p</i> < 0.001), accompanied by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced membrane lipid peroxidation. Integrative analysis of field phenotypic and physiological indices revealed distinct adaptation strategies: JLY3261 rapidly activated antioxidant enzymes under 3‰ salinity, alleviating lipid peroxidation (no significant difference in H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> or malondialdehyde content compared to 0‰ salinity) and maintaining tillering and aboveground biomass. SLY91 tolerated 7‰ salinity via CAT/POD-mediated lipid peroxide degradation, with H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and malondialdehyde contents increasing initially but decreasing with escalating stress. These findings highlight genotype-specific antioxidant strategies underlying salt-tolerance mechanisms and the critical need for integrating phenomics–physiological assessments at reproductive stages into salt-tolerance breeding pipelines.
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spelling doaj-art-5464c9f68dae478ca1b5394e0dd739b62025-08-20T03:02:58ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-07-011415227810.3390/plants14152278Salt Stress Responses of Different Rice Varieties at Panicle Initiation: Agronomic Traits, Photosynthesis, and AntioxidantsYusheng Li0Yuxiang Xue1Zhuangzhuang Guan2Zhenhang Wang3Daijie Hou4Tingcheng Zhao5Xutong Lu6Yucheng Qi7Yanbo Hao8Jinqi Liu9Lin Li10Haider Sultan11Xiayu Guo12Zhiyong Ai13Aibin He14School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaCollege of Environment and Ecology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaNational Innovation Center of Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice in Sanya, Sanya 572000, ChinaSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572000, ChinaNational Innovation Center of Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice in Sanya, Sanya 572000, ChinaNational Innovation Center of Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice in Sanya, Sanya 572000, ChinaNational Innovation Center of Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice in Sanya, Sanya 572000, ChinaThe utilization of saline–alkali land for rice cultivation is critical for global food security. However, most existing studies on rice salt tolerance focus on the seedling stage, with limited insights into tolerance mechanisms during reproductive growth, particularly at the panicle initiation stage (PI). Leveraging precision salinity-control facilities, this study imposed four salt stress gradients (0, 3, 5, and 7‰) to dissect the differential response mechanisms of six rice varieties (YXYZ: Yuxiangyouzhan, JLY3261: Jingliangyou3261, SLY91: Shuangliangyou91, SLY138: Shuangliangyou138, HLYYHSM: Hualiangyouyuehesimiao, and SLY11:Shuangliangyou111) during PI. The results revealed that increasing salinity significantly reduced tiller number (13.14–68.04%), leaf area index (18.58–57.99%), canopy light interception rate (11.91–44.08%), and net photosynthetic rate (2.63–52.42%) (<i>p</i> < 0.001), accompanied by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced membrane lipid peroxidation. Integrative analysis of field phenotypic and physiological indices revealed distinct adaptation strategies: JLY3261 rapidly activated antioxidant enzymes under 3‰ salinity, alleviating lipid peroxidation (no significant difference in H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> or malondialdehyde content compared to 0‰ salinity) and maintaining tillering and aboveground biomass. SLY91 tolerated 7‰ salinity via CAT/POD-mediated lipid peroxide degradation, with H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and malondialdehyde contents increasing initially but decreasing with escalating stress. These findings highlight genotype-specific antioxidant strategies underlying salt-tolerance mechanisms and the critical need for integrating phenomics–physiological assessments at reproductive stages into salt-tolerance breeding pipelines.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2278rice salt tolerancepanicle initiation stagedifferential responseagronomic traitsantioxidant levelsphysiological adaptation
spellingShingle Yusheng Li
Yuxiang Xue
Zhuangzhuang Guan
Zhenhang Wang
Daijie Hou
Tingcheng Zhao
Xutong Lu
Yucheng Qi
Yanbo Hao
Jinqi Liu
Lin Li
Haider Sultan
Xiayu Guo
Zhiyong Ai
Aibin He
Salt Stress Responses of Different Rice Varieties at Panicle Initiation: Agronomic Traits, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidants
Plants
rice salt tolerance
panicle initiation stage
differential response
agronomic traits
antioxidant levels
physiological adaptation
title Salt Stress Responses of Different Rice Varieties at Panicle Initiation: Agronomic Traits, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidants
title_full Salt Stress Responses of Different Rice Varieties at Panicle Initiation: Agronomic Traits, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidants
title_fullStr Salt Stress Responses of Different Rice Varieties at Panicle Initiation: Agronomic Traits, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidants
title_full_unstemmed Salt Stress Responses of Different Rice Varieties at Panicle Initiation: Agronomic Traits, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidants
title_short Salt Stress Responses of Different Rice Varieties at Panicle Initiation: Agronomic Traits, Photosynthesis, and Antioxidants
title_sort salt stress responses of different rice varieties at panicle initiation agronomic traits photosynthesis and antioxidants
topic rice salt tolerance
panicle initiation stage
differential response
agronomic traits
antioxidant levels
physiological adaptation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2278
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