Transcriptomic and physiological approaches to decipher cold stress mitigation exerted by brown-seaweed extract...

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Agricultural Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Chilling temperatures pose a significant threat to warm-climate crops like tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.).
• Biostimulants offer an environmentally friendly strategy to alleviate cold stress in agricultural settings.
• Tomato's sensitivity to cold necessitates effective mitigation methods for both open field and greenhouse cultivation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a brown-seaweed extract (BSE) as a biostimulant for tomato plants under cold stress.
• To investigate the physiological and molecular responses of tomato plants to BSE treatment during low-temperature exposure.
• To identify the key biochemical pathways and compounds involved in BSE-mediated cold tolerance.

Main Methods:

• Tomato plants were subjected to cold stress with and without BSE application.
• Physiological parameters including stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, and yield were measured.
• Transcriptomic analysis and biochemical assays were performed to assess molecular and metabolic changes.

Main Results:

• BSE-treated tomato plants exhibited significantly higher stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, and yield under cold stress.
• Transcriptomic data revealed BSE's impact on genes related to cold stress responses, particularly proline, flavonoids, and chlorophyll pathways.
• Biochemical analyses confirmed increased levels of proline, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and carotenoids in BSE-treated plants.

Conclusions:

• Brown-seaweed extract (BSE) effectively enhances tomato tolerance to low temperatures.
• BSE-mediated cold tolerance is associated with improved physiological functions and increased accumulation of antioxidant compounds.
• BSE represents a promising eco-friendly biostimulant for mitigating cold stress in tomato production.