Reactive oxygen species generating system and brassinosteroids are linked to salt stress adaptation mechanisms in rice

Abstract

ABSTRACTSalinity stress is one of the major environmental challenges which adversely affects plant growth and productivity. The acquisition of salinity stress tolerance has been an interesting area of investigation for plant abiotic stress management. Recently, we investigated the interdependency of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating and scavenging system for offering salt stress adaptation in rice. In continuation to our earlier findings, in the present study we analyzed the transcript level expression of different respiratory burst oxidase homologs (Rbohs) genes in salt sensitive and salt tolerant cultivars of rice to corroborate this result with their activities. Brassinosteroid (BR) is known to confer abiotic stress tolerance by modulating ROS machinery, and hence in the present study, the expression of key genes associated in brassinosteroid biosynthesis and signaling in salt sensitive and tolerant cultivar of rice was also conducted. In the present investigation, the other stress markers involving proline catabolism and anabolism along with chlorophyllase has been analyzed to get a better insights to our understanding of salt stress adaptation mechanisms in rice.