Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymatic Defenses in Salt-Adapted Rice Seedlings

While a rapid activation of antioxidant defense mechanisms following the exposure to salt stress has been widely reported in plants, less is known about their role under prolonged ionic stress conditions. This study aimed at investigating whether increased levels of enzymatic antioxidants are requir...

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Main Author: Giuseppe Forlani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Agriculture
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1234
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author Giuseppe Forlani
author_facet Giuseppe Forlani
author_sort Giuseppe Forlani
collection DOAJ
description While a rapid activation of antioxidant defense mechanisms following the exposure to salt stress has been widely reported in plants, less is known about their role under prolonged ionic stress conditions. This study aimed at investigating whether increased levels of enzymatic antioxidants are required in salt-acclimated plants. Rice, a staple crop for more than half of the world’s population, is very sensitive to excess salt, mainly at the seedling stage. The levels of selected antioxidant enzymes and the non-enzymatic antioxidant glutathione were measured in seedlings of a group of five Italian rice cultivars showing a natural variability in the susceptibility to a moderate saline environment. Up to 15.62 dS/m, the presence of salts caused a progressive growth inhibition, yet thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels did not significantly increase. Accordingly, chlorophyll content appeared unaffected, suggesting successful acclimation. Immunological analysis showed increases of catalase protein levels in shoots, and of Cu/Zn- and Mn-dependent superoxide dismutases in both roots and shoots, whereas no variations were found for other enzymes. Only slight differences in glutathione content were evident between salt-grown seedlings and untreated controls. The data suggest that an enhancement of antioxidant defenses in different tissues takes place in rice plants to cope with sublethal salt stress conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-aa7ca76a126841389d6a6e36d8fb0eb62025-08-20T02:24:03ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722025-06-011512123410.3390/agriculture15121234Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymatic Defenses in Salt-Adapted Rice SeedlingsGiuseppe Forlani0Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, I-44121 Ferrara, ItalyWhile a rapid activation of antioxidant defense mechanisms following the exposure to salt stress has been widely reported in plants, less is known about their role under prolonged ionic stress conditions. This study aimed at investigating whether increased levels of enzymatic antioxidants are required in salt-acclimated plants. Rice, a staple crop for more than half of the world’s population, is very sensitive to excess salt, mainly at the seedling stage. The levels of selected antioxidant enzymes and the non-enzymatic antioxidant glutathione were measured in seedlings of a group of five Italian rice cultivars showing a natural variability in the susceptibility to a moderate saline environment. Up to 15.62 dS/m, the presence of salts caused a progressive growth inhibition, yet thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels did not significantly increase. Accordingly, chlorophyll content appeared unaffected, suggesting successful acclimation. Immunological analysis showed increases of catalase protein levels in shoots, and of Cu/Zn- and Mn-dependent superoxide dismutases in both roots and shoots, whereas no variations were found for other enzymes. Only slight differences in glutathione content were evident between salt-grown seedlings and untreated controls. The data suggest that an enhancement of antioxidant defenses in different tissues takes place in rice plants to cope with sublethal salt stress conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1234riceacclimation to salinityoxidative stressantioxidant enzymescatalasesuperoxide dismutase
spellingShingle Giuseppe Forlani
Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymatic Defenses in Salt-Adapted Rice Seedlings
Agriculture
rice
acclimation to salinity
oxidative stress
antioxidant enzymes
catalase
superoxide dismutase
title Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymatic Defenses in Salt-Adapted Rice Seedlings
title_full Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymatic Defenses in Salt-Adapted Rice Seedlings
title_fullStr Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymatic Defenses in Salt-Adapted Rice Seedlings
title_full_unstemmed Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymatic Defenses in Salt-Adapted Rice Seedlings
title_short Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymatic Defenses in Salt-Adapted Rice Seedlings
title_sort enhancement of antioxidant enzymatic defenses in salt adapted rice seedlings
topic rice
acclimation to salinity
oxidative stress
antioxidant enzymes
catalase
superoxide dismutase
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/12/1234
work_keys_str_mv AT giuseppeforlani enhancementofantioxidantenzymaticdefensesinsaltadaptedriceseedlings