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Exogenous Kinetin Modulates ROS Homeostasis to Affect Heat Tolerance in Rice Seedlings
Wentao Mei1, Wenjuan Chen1, Yingfeng Wang1
1Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rice and Rapeseed Breeding for Disease Resistance, College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|April 13, 2023
Summary
Exogenous kinetin (KT) application enhances heat stress tolerance in rice seedlings by modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and boosting antioxidant defenses. The optimal KT concentration for improving heat tolerance in rice was found to be 10-9 M.
Area of Science:
- Plant Science
- Environmental Stress Biology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Climate warming induces heat stress, threatening global crop production.
- Cytokinin (CK) kinetin (KT) shows potential for improving plant tolerance to abiotic stresses like drought and salinity.
- The specific mechanisms by which KT confers heat tolerance in rice remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role and mechanism of exogenous kinetin (KT) in enhancing heat stress tolerance in rice seedlings.
- To determine the optimal concentration of KT for improving rice heat tolerance.
- To elucidate how KT influences physiological and molecular responses to heat stress in rice.
Main Methods:
- Rice seedlings were treated with varying concentrations of exogenous KT.
- Heat stress was applied to evaluate the protective effects of KT.
- Measurements included membrane damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and antioxidant enzyme activity.
- Gene expression analysis focused on CK-responsive genes (OsRR) and genes related to antioxidant enzymes and heat defense.
Main Results:
- Exogenous KT application significantly improved heat stress tolerance in rice seedlings, with 10-9 M KT showing the most effective results.
- KT treatment reduced membrane damage and ROS accumulation while increasing antioxidant enzyme activity.
- Enhanced expression of antioxidant enzymes, heat shock proteins, and defense-related genes was observed following KT application.
- KT promoted the expression of cytokinin-responsive OsRR genes.
Conclusions:
- Exogenous kinetin (KT) application at 10-9 M effectively enhances heat tolerance in rice seedlings.
- KT confers heat tolerance by modulating the balance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulating antioxidant and defense mechanisms.
- KT treatment influences cytokinin signaling pathways, contributing to improved plant resilience under heat stress.
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