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Kumar B, Pal M, Yadava P, Kumar K, Langyan S, Jha AK, Singh I. Physiological and biochemical effects of 24-Epibrassinolide on drought stress adaptation in maize ( Zea mays L.). PeerJ 2024; 12:e17190. [PMID: 38560461 PMCID: PMC10981409 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Maize production and productivity are affected by drought stress in tropical and subtropical ecologies, as the majority of the area under maize cultivation in these ecologies is rain-fed. The present investigation was conducted to study the physiological and biochemical effects of 24-Epibrassinolide (EBR) as a plant hormone on drought tolerance in maize. Two maize hybrids, Vivek hybrid 9 and Bio 9637, were grown under three different conditions: (i) irrigated, (ii) drought, and (iii) drought+EBR. A total of 2 weeks before the anthesis, irrigation was discontinued to produce a drought-like condition. In the drought+EBR treatment group, irrigation was also stopped, and in addition, EBR was applied as a foliar spray on the same day in the drought plots. It was observed that drought had a major influence on the photosynthesis rate, membrane stability index, leaf area index, relative water content, and leaf water potential; this effect was more pronounced in Bio 9637. Conversely, the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased in both hybrids under drought conditions. Specifically, Vivek hybrid 9 showed 74% higher CAT activity under drought conditions as compared to the control. Additionally, EBR application further enhanced the activity of this enzyme by 23% compared to plants under drought conditions. Both hybrids experienced a significant reduction in plant girth due to drought stress. However, it was found that exogenously applying EBR reduced the detrimental effects of drought stress on the plant, and this effect was more pronounced in Bio 9637. In fact, Bio 9637 treated with EBR showed an 86% increase in proline content and a 70% increase in glycine betaine content compared to untreated plants under drought conditions. Taken together, our results suggested EBR enhanced tolerance to drought in maize hybrids. Hence, pre-anthesis foliar application of EBR might partly overcome the adverse effects of flowering stage drought in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bicky Kumar
- Pusa Campus, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, New Delhi, India
- Pusa Campus, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Madan Pal
- Pusa Campus, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Pranjal Yadava
- Pusa Campus, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, New Delhi, India
- Pusa Campus, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Krishan Kumar
- Pusa Campus, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Sapna Langyan
- Pusa Campus, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, New Delhi, India
- ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Ishwar Singh
- Pusa Campus, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research, New Delhi, India
- Crop Science Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, Delhi, India
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Yao X, Li Y, Chen J, Zhou Z, Wen Y, Fang K, Yang F, Li T, Zhang D, Lin H. Brassinosteroids enhance BES1-required thermomemory in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:3492-3504. [PMID: 36130868 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Heat stress (HS) caused by ambient high temperature poses a threat to plants. In the natural and agricultural environment, plants often encounter repeated and changeable HS. Moderate HS primes plants to establish a molecular 'thermomemory' that enables plants to withstand a later-and possibly more extreme-HS attack. Recent years, brassinosteroids (BRs) have been implicated in HS response, whereas the information is lacking on whether BRs signal transduction modulates thermomemory. Here, we uncover the positive role of BRs signalling in thermomemory of Arabidopsis thaliana. Heat priming induces de novo synthesis and nuclear accumulation of BRI1-Ethyl methyl sulfon-SUPPRESSOR (BES1), which is the key regulator of BRs signalling. BRs promote the accumulation of dephosphorylated BES1 during memory phase, and stoppage of BRs synthesis impairs dephosphorylation. During HS memory, BES1 is required to maintain sustained induction of HS memory genes and directly targets APX2 and HSFA3 for activation. In summary, our results reveal a BES1-required, BRs-enhanced transcriptional control module of thermomemory in Arabidopsis thaliana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhong Yao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanling Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zuxu Zhou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Wen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ke Fang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Fabin Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Taotao Li
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan, China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Honghui Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Salinity Effects on Morpho-Physiological and Yield Traits of Soybean ( Glycine max L.) as Mediated by Foliar Spray with Brassinolide. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10030541. [PMID: 33805623 PMCID: PMC8000651 DOI: 10.3390/plants10030541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Salinity episodes that are common in arid regions, characterized by dryland, are adversely affecting crop production worldwide. This study evaluated the effectiveness of brassinolide (BL) in ameliorating salinity stress imposed on soybean at four levels (control (1.10), 32.40, 60.60 and 86.30 mM/L NaCl) in factorial combination with six BL application frequency (control (BL0), application at seedling (BL1), flowering (BL2), podding (BL3), seedling + flowering (BL4) and seedling + flowering + podding (BL5)) stages. Plant growth attributes, seed yield, and N, P, K, Ca and Mg partitioning to leaves, stems and roots, as well as protein and seed-N concentrations, were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced by salinity stress. These trends were ascribed to considerable impairments in the photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetically active radiation, leaf stomatal conductance and relative water content in the leaves of seedlings under stress. The activity of peroxidase and superoxidase significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased with salinity. Foliar spray with BL significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the photosynthetic attributes, as well as nutrient partitioning, under stress, and alleviated ion toxicity by maintaining a favourable K+/Na+ ratio and decreasing oxidative damage. Foliar spray with brassinolide could sustain soybean growth and seed yield at salt concentrations up to 60.60 mM/L NaCl.
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The Positive Effect of Different 24-epiBL Pretreatments on Salinity Tolerance in Robinia pseudoacacia L. Seedlings. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f10010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
As a brassinosteroid (BR), 24-epibrassinolide (24-epiBL) has been widely used to enhance the resistance of plants to multiple stresses, including salinity. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is a common species in degraded soils. In the current study, plants were pretreated with three levels of 24-epiBL (0.21, 0.62, or 1.04 µM) by either soaking seeds during the germination phase (Sew), foliar spraying (Spw), or root dipping (Diw) at the age of 6 months. The plants were exposed to salt stress (100 and 200 mM NaCl) via automatic drip-feeding (water content ~40%) for 45 days after each treatment. Increased salinity resulted in a decrease in net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular:ambient CO2 concentration ratio (Ci/Ca), water-use efficiency (WUEi), and maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) (Fv/Fm). Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and thermal dissipation (Hd) were elevated under stress, which accompanied the reduction in the membrane steady index (MSI), water content (RWC), and pigment concentration (Chl a, Chl b, and Chl). Indicators of oxidative stress (i.e., malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) in leaves and Na+ content in chloroplasts increased accompanied by a reduction in chloroplastid K+ and Ca2+. At 200 mM NaCl, the chloroplast and thylakoid ultrastructures were severely disrupted. Exogenous 24-epiBL improved MSI, RWC, K+, and Ca2+ content, reduced Na+ levels, maintained chloroplast and thylakoid membrane structures, and enhanced the antioxidant ability in leaves. 24-epiBL also substantially alleviated stress-induced limitations of photosynthetic ability, reflected by elevated chlorophyll fluorescence, pigment levels, and Pn. The positive effects of alleviating salt stress in R. pseudoacacia seedlings in terms of treatment application was Diw > Sew > Spw, and the most positive impacts were seen with 1.04 µM 24-epiBL. These results provide diverse choice for 24-epiBL usage to defend against NaCl stress of a plant.
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Kaur H, Sirhindi G, Bhardwaj R, Alyemeni MN, Siddique KHM, Ahmad P. 28-homobrassinolide regulates antioxidant enzyme activities and gene expression in response to salt- and temperature-induced oxidative stress in Brassica juncea. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8735. [PMID: 29880861 PMCID: PMC5992199 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27032-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of naturally occurring plant steroid hormones that can induce plant tolerance to various plant stresses by regulating ROS production in cells, but the underlying mechanisms of this scavenging activity by BRs are not well understood. This study investigated the effects of 28-homobrassinolide (28-HBL) seed priming on Brassica juncea seedlings subjected to the combined stress of extreme temperatures (low, 4 °C or high, 44 °C) and salinity (180 mM), either alone or supplemented with 28-HBL treatments (0, 10−6, 10−9, 10−12 M). The combined temperature and salt stress treatments significantly reduced shoot and root lengths, but these improved when supplemented with 28-HBL although the response was dose-dependent. The combined stress alone significantly increased H2O2 content, but was inhibited when supplemented with 28-HBL. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) increased in response to 28-HBL. Overall, the 28-HBL seed priming treatment improved the plant’s potential to combat the toxic effects imposed by the combined temperature and salt stress by tightly regulating the accumulation of ROS, which was reflected in the improved redox state of antioxidants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harpreet Kaur
- Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, Punjab, India.,Department of Botanical & Environmental Sciences, GNDU, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Geetika Sirhindi
- Department of Botany, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, Punjab, India
| | - Renu Bhardwaj
- Department of Botanical & Environmental Sciences, GNDU, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - M N Alyemeni
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kadambot H M Siddique
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture and UWA School of Agriculture & Environment, The University of Western Australia, LB 5005, Perth, WA, 6001, Australia
| | - Parvaiz Ahmad
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia. .,Department of Botany, S.P. College, Srinagar, 190001, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
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Nawaz F, Naeem M, Zulfiqar B, Akram A, Ashraf MY, Raheel M, Shabbir RN, Hussain RA, Anwar I, Aurangzaib M. Understanding brassinosteroid-regulated mechanisms to improve stress tolerance in plants: a critical review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:15959-15975. [PMID: 28540554 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-9163-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Brassinosteroids (BRs) are steroidal plant hormones involved in regulation of physiological and molecular processes to ameliorate various biotic and abiotic stresses. Exogenous application of BRs to improve stress tolerance in plants has recently become a high research priority. Several studies have revealed the involvement of these steroidal hormones in upregulation of stress-related defense genes and their cross talk with other metabolic pathways. This is likely to stimulate research on many unanswered questions regarding their role in enhancing the ability of plants to tolerate adverse environmental conditions. Thus, this review appraises new insights on mechanisms mediating BR-regulated changes in plants, focused mainly on their involvement in regulation of physiological and molecular mechanisms under stress conditions. Herein, examples of BR-stimulated modulation of antioxidant defense system and upregulation of transcription factors in plants exposed to various biotic (bacterial, viral, and fungal attack) and abiotic stresses (drought, salinity, heat, low temperature, and heavy metal stress) are discussed. Based on these insights, future research in the current direction can be helpful to increase our understanding of BR-mediated complex and interrelated processes under stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahim Nawaz
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Naeem
- Department of Agronomy, UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Bilal Zulfiqar
- Department of Agronomy, UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Asim Akram
- Department of Agronomy, UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Yasin Ashraf
- Crop Stress Management Group, Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Raheel
- Department of Plant Pathology, UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Rana Nauman Shabbir
- Department of Agronomy, Agriculture College, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Rai Altaf Hussain
- Department of Agronomy, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Irfan Anwar
- Department of Agronomy, UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
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