Exogenous strigolactone alleviates post-waterlogging stress in grapevine

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Environmental Science
• Horticulture

Background:

• Global climate change exacerbates waterlogging, threatening grapevine growth and fruit quality.
• Strigolactone (SL) is a phytohormone involved in plant stress tolerance, but its role in grapevine waterlogging response is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate grapevine responses to waterlogging stress.
• To determine the ameliorative effects of strigolactone analog GR24 on waterlogged grapevines.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying GR24's protective effects.

Main Methods:

• Systematic analysis of grapevine morphology, physiology, and transcriptomics under waterlogging and GR24 treatment.
• Application of GR24, a synthetic strigolactone analog.
• Transcriptome sequencing to identify gene expression changes in leaves and roots.

Main Results:

• GR24 application alleviated waterlogging symptoms like leaf yellowing, senescence, and inhibited photosynthesis.
• Transcriptome analysis revealed GR24 modulated genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, photosynthesis, antioxidant systems, and hormone signaling in leaves.
• GR24 treatment enhanced microtubule and cytoskeleton structures in roots, potentially aiding recovery.

Conclusions:

• Strigolactone (SL) application, specifically GR24, can mitigate the adverse effects of waterlogging on grapevines.
• GR24 confers tolerance by regulating key metabolic and signaling pathways in grapevine leaves and roots.
• This study provides insights into grapevine waterlogging tolerance mechanisms and the role of SLs.