Physiological and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That Melatonin Alleviates Aluminum Toxicity in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

ABSTRACT: Aluminum (Al) toxicity is the most common factor limiting the growth of alfalfa in acidic soil conditions. Melatonin (MT), a significant pleiotropic molecule present in both plants and animals, has shown promise in mitigating Al toxicity in various plant species. This study aims to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which melatonin alleviates Al toxicity in alfalfa through a combined physiological and transcriptomic analysis. The results reveal that the addition of 5 μM melatonin significantly increased alfalfa root length by 48% and fresh weight by 45.4% compared to aluminum treatment alone. Moreover, the 5 μM melatonin application partially restored the enlarged and irregular cell shape induced by aluminum treatment, resulting in a relatively compact arrangement of alfalfa root cells.

SUBMITTER: Liu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10743983 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature