Seed priming with gibberellic acid induces high salinity tolerance in Pisum sativum through antioxidants, secondary metabolites and up‐regulation of antiporter genes

Abstract

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that limit productivity of pulse crops all over the world. Seed priming with phytohormone(s) is one of the most promising, authentic and cost-effective methods to mitigate the deleterious effect of salinity.• The study was conducted to investigate potential of seed priming with gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) to cope up with the adverse effects of salinity (0, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl) in pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings.• There were different responses to salinity, which induced oxidative stress, higher accumulation of Na + in shoots and roots and inhibition of photosynthetic traits. However, seed priming with GA 3 showed promising effects on physiological traits under salinity stress and alleviated the adverse effects of salinity by inducing the antioxidant system, proline production, total phenol and flavonoid content and regulating ion homeostasis, along with up-regulation of Na + /H + antiporters (SOS1 and NHX1).• Plants adapt and prevent high salt accumulation by inducing expression of Na + / H + antiporter (SOS1 and NHX1) proteins that enhance Na + sequestration. Thus, seed priming with GA 3 is important in alleviation of high salinity stress and can be used as a criterion for developing salt-tolerant cultivars.

Regulation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidant Defense in Plants under Salinity

“…Jiang et al [131] highlighted the TaSOS1 gene in response to salt stress in two spring T. aestivum genotypes, Seri M82 (salt-sensitive) and CIGM90.863 (salt-tolerant), and observed a higher expression of most of the 18 TaSOS1 genes in the roots of salt-tolerant seedlings than the salt-sensitive seedlings. Recently, several exogenous protectants (i.e., GA, salicylic acid (SA), melatonin (MT), silicon, selenium) have been used to upregulate the antioxidant machinery in plants under salinity [132][133][134][135]. For instance, Ahmad et al [133] found increased activities of SOD (9%), APX (13%), CAT (26%), GR (40%) and POD (98%) when seed priming was conducted with 0.5 mM GA. Foliar spraying of SA (0.5 mM) enhanced AsA, GSH, total phenols and anthocyanin biosynthesis and increased SOD and CAT activities, thus reducing the H 2 O 2 and O 2…”

“…Recently, several exogenous protectants (i.e., GA, salicylic acid (SA), melatonin (MT), silicon, selenium) have been used to upregulate the antioxidant machinery in plants under salinity [132][133][134][135]. For instance, Ahmad et al [133] found increased activities of SOD (9%), APX (13%), CAT (26%), GR (40%) and POD (98%) when seed priming was conducted with 0.5 mM GA. Foliar spraying of SA (0.5 mM) enhanced AsA, GSH, total phenols and anthocyanin biosynthesis and increased SOD and CAT activities, thus reducing the H 2 O 2 and O 2…”

Transcriptome Meta-Analysis Associated Targeting Hub Genes and Pathways of Drought and Salt Stress Responses in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum): A Network Biology Approach

“…In addition, TLP1 and WRKY comprise the abundance of P-box (gibberellin-responsive element) in their upstream region. Gibberellic acid is one of the essential plant growth regulators that help improve salt tolerance and also reduce the effects of salt stress on plants ( Chauhan et al, 2019 ) and also induces high salinity tolerance in Pisum sativum through upregulation of antiporter genes, antioxidants, and secondary metabolites ( Ahmad et al, 2021 ). Altogether, these studies suggested that NSP2, DRE1D, TLP5, and TLP3 genes in drought and TLP1, WRKY6, ATHB7, and EF109 genes in salt stress might play an important role in cotton and could be suitable targets to protect the cotton crop from drought and salt stress condition.…”

Where biotic and abiotic stress responses converge: Common patterns in response to salinity and Plum pox virus infection in pea and peach plants

“…In this regard, seed priming within organic salt solutions (osmopriming) or water (hydropriming) were reported as efficient and economic alternatives (Matias, Torres, Leal, Leite, & Carvalho, 2018; Singh et al, 2015). Moreover, the pre‐treatment of pea seeds with licorice root extracts or with GA 3 alleviated the negative effects of salt stress in the seedlings (Ahmad et al, 2020; Desoky, ElSayed, Merwad, & Rady, 2019). In both cases, the increased salt tolerance was related with the induction of the antioxidant system, increases in chlorophyll, proline and soluble sugars levels, and improved ion homeostasis and gas exchange parameters (Ahmad et al, 2020; Desoky et al, 2019).…”