Salicylic acid and thiourea ameliorate the negative impact of salt stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings by up-regulating photosynthetic pigments, leaf water status, and antioxidant defense system

Abstract

Salinity is one of the most important abiotic stress inhibiting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth and development. Therefore, finding efficient strategies to prevent salt-induced growth retardation and yield loss is critical for modern agriculture to sustain production. The role of exogenous salicylic acid (SA) and thiourea (TU) in regulating salt tolerance was investigated by evaluating morpho-physiological characteristics and antioxidant response in two wheat genotypes at the seedling stage. In both wheat genotypes, salt stress reduced growth characteristics and leaf water status, photosynthetic pigments, while simultaneously increasing the Na⁺/K⁺ ratio, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA). In contrast, exogenous application of SA and/or TU alone in the salt-stressed plants significantly reduced the negative effects of salt stress and improved the growth performance by up-regulating photosynthetic pigments, leaf water status, and proline content in both genotypes. Besides, when compared to seedlings treated only with salt stress, SA and TU played an important role in maintaining lower Na⁺/K⁺ levels and reducing oxidative stress by lowering MDA and H₂O₂ levels in salt-stressed plants through boosting the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and peroxidase. In addition, hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis revealed a significant interaction among growth characteristics, chlorophyll content, carotenoid content and antioxidant activity with the salt, SA, and/or TU treatments. The findings suggested that exogenous application of SA or TU could be a useful technique for reducing the negative effects of salinity on wheat growth and development.