Ellagic acid alleviates aluminum and/or drought stress through morpho-physiochemical adjustments and stress-related gene expression in Zea mays L

AĞAR G., Ergul Y., YÜCE M., ARSLAN YÜKSEL E., AYDIN M., TAŞPINAR M. S.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, cilt.31, sa.49, ss.59521-59532, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 31 Sayı: 49
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s11356-024-35185-7
  • Dergi Adı: Environmental Science and Pollution Research
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, IBZ Online, ABI/INFORM, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Environment Index, Geobase, MEDLINE, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.59521-59532
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Al3+ toxicity, Antioxidant enzyme activity, Drought stress, QPCR, Stress-related genes
  • Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study investigates the potential of ellagic acid (EA) to mitigate the effects of drought and aluminum (Al3+) stresses in maize by examining various morpho-physiochemical parameters and gene expressions. Maize (Zea mays L.) serves as a crucial global food source, but its growth and productivity are significantly hindered by drought and aluminum (Al3+) stresses, which lead to impaired root development, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), diminished photosynthetic efficiency, and reduced water and mineral absorption. Recently, ellagic acid (EA), a polyphenolic compound with potent antioxidant properties, has been identified for its role in regulating plant growth and enhancing stress tolerance mechanisms. However, the specific mechanisms through which EA contributes to Al3+ and/or drought tolerance in plants remain largely unknown. The present study was conducted to examine the defensive role of EA (100 μg/mL) in some morpho-physiochemical parameters and the expression profiles of some stress-related genes (ZmCPK22, ZmXTH1, ZmHIPP4, ZmSGR, ZmpsbA, ZmAPX1, and ZmGST1) in drought (polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000), − 0.6 MPa) and aluminum chloride (AlCl3, 60 μM) stressed Zea mays Ada 523 grown in nutrient solution. Our results indicated that drought and aluminum chloride stresses affected root length, shoot height, H2O2 content, chlorophyll content (SPAD), electrolyte leakage (EL), and relative water content (RWC) of maize with several significant (P < 0.05) shifts up and down. Conversely, EA (100 μg/mL) treatment had a mitigating effect on these parameters. Moreover, EA also mitigated the antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)), and regulated the expressions of aforementioned genes. These findings determined that EA treatment could efficiently improve the gene expressions and morpho-physiochemical parameters under drought and/or Al3+ stresses, thereby increasing the seedlings’ adaptability to these stresses.