Physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expression
IntroductionSalt stress has emerged as a predominant abiotic factor that jeopardizes global crop growth and yield. The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) has notable potential in mitigating salt toxicity, yet its mechanism in enhancing the salinity tolerance of tobacco plants is not well explored.Met...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1545865/full |
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| author | Xiliang Song Jian Chen Can Xu Xianjie Cai Wenjing Song Aixia Chang Yu Zhang Chenggang Luo |
| author_facet | Xiliang Song Jian Chen Can Xu Xianjie Cai Wenjing Song Aixia Chang Yu Zhang Chenggang Luo |
| author_sort | Xiliang Song |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionSalt stress has emerged as a predominant abiotic factor that jeopardizes global crop growth and yield. The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) has notable potential in mitigating salt toxicity, yet its mechanism in enhancing the salinity tolerance of tobacco plants is not well explored.MethodsThis study aimed to assess the potential benefits of exogenous SA application (1.0 mM) on tobacco seedlings subjected to saline soil conditions.ResultsThe foliar spray of SA partially mitigated these salt-induced effects, as evidenced by a reduction of malondialdehyde content, and improvements of leaf K+/Na+ ratios, pigment biosynthesis, and electron transport efficiency under NaCl stress. Additionally, SA increased the contents of total phenolic compound and soluble protein by 16.2% and 28.7% to alleviate NaCl-induced oxidative damage. Under salt stressed conditions, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase increased by 4.2%~14.4% in SA sprayed tobacco seedlings. Exogenous SA also increased ascorbate and glutathione levels and reduced their reduced forms by increasing the activities of glutathione reductase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and dehydroascorbate reductase. qRT−PCR analysis revealed that the key genes regulating SA biosynthesis, carbon assimilation, the antioxidant system and the ascorbate−glutathione cycle were activated by SA under conditions of salt stress.DiscussionOur study elucidates the physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous SA in enhancing plant salt tolerance and provides a practical basis for crop improvement in saline environments. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-d70eac4c1a0e4acebdb7f43c6b12acc92025-01-31T06:41:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2025-01-011610.3389/fpls.2025.15458651545865Physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expressionXiliang Song0Jian Chen1Can Xu2Xianjie Cai3Wenjing Song4Aixia Chang5Yu Zhang6Chenggang Luo7College of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, ChinaShanghai Tobacco Group Co. Ltd, Shanghai, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, ChinaShanghai Tobacco Group Co. Ltd, Shanghai, ChinaTobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences China, Qingdao, ChinaTobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences China, Qingdao, ChinaTobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences China, Qingdao, ChinaTobacco Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences China, Qingdao, ChinaIntroductionSalt stress has emerged as a predominant abiotic factor that jeopardizes global crop growth and yield. The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) has notable potential in mitigating salt toxicity, yet its mechanism in enhancing the salinity tolerance of tobacco plants is not well explored.MethodsThis study aimed to assess the potential benefits of exogenous SA application (1.0 mM) on tobacco seedlings subjected to saline soil conditions.ResultsThe foliar spray of SA partially mitigated these salt-induced effects, as evidenced by a reduction of malondialdehyde content, and improvements of leaf K+/Na+ ratios, pigment biosynthesis, and electron transport efficiency under NaCl stress. Additionally, SA increased the contents of total phenolic compound and soluble protein by 16.2% and 28.7% to alleviate NaCl-induced oxidative damage. Under salt stressed conditions, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase increased by 4.2%~14.4% in SA sprayed tobacco seedlings. Exogenous SA also increased ascorbate and glutathione levels and reduced their reduced forms by increasing the activities of glutathione reductase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and dehydroascorbate reductase. qRT−PCR analysis revealed that the key genes regulating SA biosynthesis, carbon assimilation, the antioxidant system and the ascorbate−glutathione cycle were activated by SA under conditions of salt stress.DiscussionOur study elucidates the physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous SA in enhancing plant salt tolerance and provides a practical basis for crop improvement in saline environments.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1545865/fullsoil salinityiron toxicityoxidative damagesalicylic acidsalt tolerance |
| spellingShingle | Xiliang Song Jian Chen Can Xu Xianjie Cai Wenjing Song Aixia Chang Yu Zhang Chenggang Luo Physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expression Frontiers in Plant Science soil salinity iron toxicity oxidative damage salicylic acid salt tolerance |
| title | Physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expression |
| title_full | Physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expression |
| title_fullStr | Physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expression |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expression |
| title_short | Physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expression |
| title_sort | physiological and molecular mechanisms of exogenous salicylic acid in enhancing salt tolerance in tobacco seedlings by regulating antioxidant defence system and gene expression |
| topic | soil salinity iron toxicity oxidative damage salicylic acid salt tolerance |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1545865/full |
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