Abscisic acid and the herbicide safener cyprosulfamide cooperatively enhance abiotic stress tolerance in rice

Abstract

Plants adapt to abiotic stress by undergoing diverse biochemical and physiological changes that involve hormone-dependent signaling pathways. The effects of plant hormones can be mimicked by exogenous chemical regulators such as herbicide safeners, which not only enhance stress tolerance but also confer hormetic benefits such as increased vigor and yield. In this study, rice plants growing in normal and saline soils were exposed to abscisic acid (ABA), the safener cyprosulfamide or both compounds together. We found that cyprosulfamide, either alone or in combination with ABA, protected the plants from salinity stress and induced vigorous growth, including the formation of new tillers and early flowering. Proteomic analysis identified several proteins that were induced by stress and/or the chemical treatments, including the late embryogenesis abundant protein OsLEA3, a putative mitochondrial translocase and a putative fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase. The corresponding gene s were induced by stress and/or the individual chemical treatments, but expression dropped back when the stress was removed. However, the combination of ABA and cyprosulfamide prolonged the expression of all three genes beyond the stress period, and allowed the plants to maintain their enhanced growth characteristics. These data support a model involving cooperation between the cyprosulfamide and ABA signaling pathways. Accordingly, it was found that cyprosulfamide induces ABA synthesis more robustly than salinity stress, allowing the two regulators to converge on certain downstream target genes. We discuss the impact of our results on current models for the hormonal regulation of stress response pathways in rice and other plants

Safeners improve early‐stage chilling‐stress tolerance in sorghum

“…For example, safeners are agrochemicals that decrease herbicide injury in cereal crops without reducing efficacy on target weeds, and function by increasing the expression of defence genes and enzymes involved in herbicide detoxification mechanisms (Riechers et al., 2010). Further, safener treatments are associated with detoxifying cytotoxins and stress‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), and as a result lead to increased protection from herbicides, pollutants, and abiotic stresses (Dashevskaya et al., 2013; DeRidder et al., 2002; Jablonkai, 2013; Panfili et al., 2017; Panfili et al., 2019; Riechers & Green, 2017; Riechers et al., 2010; Taylor et al., 2013; Ye et al., 2019). Among the many approaches used to enhance abiotic stress tolerance in plants, exogenous application of agrochemicals such as safeners is considered a new strategy (Abu‐Qare & Duncan, 2002; Bianchi et al., 2020; Dashevskaya et al., 2013; Taylor et al., 2013).…”

Progress of modern agricultural chemistry and future prospects

“…In addition, it was found that cyprosulfamide, alone or with abscisic acid (ABA), protected plants (e.g. rice) from salinity stress and induced vigorous growth, including the formation of new tillers and early flowering …”

“…rice) from salinity stress and induced vigorous growth, including the formation of new tillers and early flowering. 88 wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/ps In spite of enormous screening efforts by many researchoriented companies, safeners for dicotyledenous crops such as soybean, canola and sugar beet could not be identified. It was found that a broad-spectrum, one-application weed control was only efficient by using mixtures.…”

Current Understanding of the Interplay between Phytohormones and Photosynthesis under Environmental Stress

“…Interestingly, the combination of ABA and cyprosulfamide prolonged the expression of stress-responsive genes beyond the stress period, and facilitated the plants in maintaining their improved growth. Proteomic analyses revealed that several photosynthetic proteins, including photosystem b P protein (PsbP) and PsbO, were either repressed or induced with the exogenous application of ABA in combination with cyprosulfamide, further indicating a strong interaction between ABA signaling and the regulation of the photosynthetic apparatus under environmental stress [ 131 ]. It is apparent with the findings discussed above that ABA signal perception and transduction are closely associated with redox signaling and other signaling pathways.…”