Zinc improves salt tolerance by increasing reactive oxygen species scavenging and reducing Na<sup>+</sup> accumulation in wheat seedlings

Abstract

Salt decreases the uptake of Zn and other minerals and causes nutritional disorders in plants. Zn is an essential micronutrient for all organisms and it is reasonable to hypothesize that Zn status is essential for maintaining salt tolerance in plants. In this study, the physiological and molecular mechanisms of Zn-based alleviation of salt stress in wheat seedlings were investigated. Our results indicate that sufficient Zn nutrition maintained antioxidative enzyme activities and decreased a reactive oxygen species over-accumulation in wheat seedlings. Our data also reveal that sufficient Zn nutrition improved the expression of Na+/H+ antiporter genes, TaSOS1 and TaNHX1, thereby decreasing the Na+ accumulation and subsequently improving salt tolerance in wheat seedlings.