Unravelling the Dynamic Physiological and Metabolome Responses of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) to Saline–Alkaline Stress at the Seedling Stage
Background/Objectives: Understanding metabolome adjustment under saline–alkaline conditions is crucial for enhancing crop tolerance capacity and ensuring food security. Although soil salinization impairs wheat seedlings’ growth, metabolome plasticity under saline–alkaline stress remains poorly under...
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| author | Wei Ren Li Chen |
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| description | Background/Objectives: Understanding metabolome adjustment under saline–alkaline conditions is crucial for enhancing crop tolerance capacity and ensuring food security. Although soil salinization impairs wheat seedlings’ growth, metabolome plasticity under saline–alkaline stress remains poorly understood. Here, we delved into dynamic physiological and metabolome shifts in wheat seedlings grown on SAS (saline–alkaline soil) on the 7th and 15th days post-germination (DPG). Methods: A self-developed and cultivated high-generation salt–alkali wheat variety (011) was grown on SAS and control soil, followed by comparative physiological, biochemical, and metabolomics analyses of seedlings. Results: The seedlings’ saline–alkaline stress responses were developmentally regulated with reduced growth, increasing accumulation of proline and soluble sugars, and differential antioxidant response. LC-MS-based global metabolomics analysis revealed significant metabolite profile differences, with 367 and 485 differential metabolites identified on the 7th and 15th DPG, respectively, between control and treatment. Upregulation of saccharides, flavonoids, organic acids (citrate cycle-related), phenolic acids, amino acids and derivatives, phytohormones, and sphingolipid metabolism was essential for seedlings’ growth on SAS. The key induced metabolites in seedlings grown on SAS include saccharic acid, trehalose, sucrose, glucose, L-citramalic acid, phellodendroside, scutellarin, anthranilate-1-<i>O</i>-sophoroside, lavandulifolioside, N-methyl-L-glutamate, etc. Up-regulated phytohormones include abscisic acid (3.8-fold, 7th DPG and 3.18-fold, 15th DPG), jasmonic acid (1.93-fold, 15th DPG), and jasmonoyl isoleucine (2.03-fold, 15th DPG). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of ABA and jasmonic acid in regulating salt–alkali tolerance in wheat seedlings. Moreover, this study depicts key pathways involved in salt–alkali tolerance in wheat seedlings and unveils key DMs, offering resources for boosting wheat production on SAS. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2218-1989 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| series | Metabolites |
| spelling | doaj-art-75dfa4e4693149eaac9eee632006e4312025-08-20T02:47:17ZengMDPI AGMetabolites2218-19892025-06-0115743010.3390/metabo15070430Unravelling the Dynamic Physiological and Metabolome Responses of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) to Saline–Alkaline Stress at the Seedling StageWei Ren0Li Chen1State Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, ChinaBackground/Objectives: Understanding metabolome adjustment under saline–alkaline conditions is crucial for enhancing crop tolerance capacity and ensuring food security. Although soil salinization impairs wheat seedlings’ growth, metabolome plasticity under saline–alkaline stress remains poorly understood. Here, we delved into dynamic physiological and metabolome shifts in wheat seedlings grown on SAS (saline–alkaline soil) on the 7th and 15th days post-germination (DPG). Methods: A self-developed and cultivated high-generation salt–alkali wheat variety (011) was grown on SAS and control soil, followed by comparative physiological, biochemical, and metabolomics analyses of seedlings. Results: The seedlings’ saline–alkaline stress responses were developmentally regulated with reduced growth, increasing accumulation of proline and soluble sugars, and differential antioxidant response. LC-MS-based global metabolomics analysis revealed significant metabolite profile differences, with 367 and 485 differential metabolites identified on the 7th and 15th DPG, respectively, between control and treatment. Upregulation of saccharides, flavonoids, organic acids (citrate cycle-related), phenolic acids, amino acids and derivatives, phytohormones, and sphingolipid metabolism was essential for seedlings’ growth on SAS. The key induced metabolites in seedlings grown on SAS include saccharic acid, trehalose, sucrose, glucose, L-citramalic acid, phellodendroside, scutellarin, anthranilate-1-<i>O</i>-sophoroside, lavandulifolioside, N-methyl-L-glutamate, etc. Up-regulated phytohormones include abscisic acid (3.8-fold, 7th DPG and 3.18-fold, 15th DPG), jasmonic acid (1.93-fold, 15th DPG), and jasmonoyl isoleucine (2.03-fold, 15th DPG). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of ABA and jasmonic acid in regulating salt–alkali tolerance in wheat seedlings. Moreover, this study depicts key pathways involved in salt–alkali tolerance in wheat seedlings and unveils key DMs, offering resources for boosting wheat production on SAS.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/7/430wheatsalt–alkali soilphytohormonedifferential metabolitemetabolic pathwaysLC-MS |
| spellingShingle | Wei Ren Li Chen Unravelling the Dynamic Physiological and Metabolome Responses of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) to Saline–Alkaline Stress at the Seedling Stage Metabolites wheat salt–alkali soil phytohormone differential metabolite metabolic pathways LC-MS |
| title | Unravelling the Dynamic Physiological and Metabolome Responses of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) to Saline–Alkaline Stress at the Seedling Stage |
| title_full | Unravelling the Dynamic Physiological and Metabolome Responses of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) to Saline–Alkaline Stress at the Seedling Stage |
| title_fullStr | Unravelling the Dynamic Physiological and Metabolome Responses of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) to Saline–Alkaline Stress at the Seedling Stage |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unravelling the Dynamic Physiological and Metabolome Responses of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) to Saline–Alkaline Stress at the Seedling Stage |
| title_short | Unravelling the Dynamic Physiological and Metabolome Responses of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) to Saline–Alkaline Stress at the Seedling Stage |
| title_sort | unravelling the dynamic physiological and metabolome responses of wheat i triticum aestivum i l to saline alkaline stress at the seedling stage |
| topic | wheat salt–alkali soil phytohormone differential metabolite metabolic pathways LC-MS |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/15/7/430 |
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