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Hydrogen sulfide pretreatment mitigates the adverse effects of salinity in young carob seedlings

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Despite the inherent high salinity tolerance of mature carob ( Ceratonia siliqua L., Fabaceae) trees, young seedlings are particularly vulnerable to salt stress, which can hinder their growth and development. Although hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has been widely studied as a regulator of salinity tolerance in herbaceous plants, its role in woody legumes remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to explore the potential of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) pretreatment to enhance the salinity tolerance of young carob seedlings. A pot experiment was conducted using a factorial design to evaluate the effects of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, an H 2 S donor) at 0, 75, and 200 µM under saline conditions (0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl). The results indicated that H 2 S pretreatment enhanced the biomass of both shoots and roots under both saline and non-saline conditions, with the potential to compensate growth loss due to salt stress. Additionally, stress markers such as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and malondialdehyde (MDA) increased by about 23% and 28%, respectively, in seedlings treated with 75 µM NaHS after exposure to 100 mM NaCl stress. The enhanced salinity stress tolerance was presumably associated with increased antioxidant enzyme activity, including superoxide dismutase (SOD, ≈ 24%), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, ≈ 118%), and peroxidase (POD, ≈ 50%) after 75 µM NaHS pretreatment in plants exposed to 100 mM NaCl. Moreover, NaHS pretreatment reduced sodium ion (Na⁺) accumulation in both leaves and roots. These findings indicate that H 2 S enhances the salinity tolerance of carob seedlings, helping them better withstand suboptimal growing conditions.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-18801-5

Authors: Saeid Eshghi, Farzad Amiri Bahmanbiglo, Sahar Mirzaei, Babak Jamali, Iman Mirmazloum, David Papp

Institutions: Shiraz University, Agricultural Research & Education Organization, University of Hormozgan, Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem

Language: English

Topic: Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690