title: Sodic alkaline stress mitigation by exogenous melatonin in tomato needs nitric oxide as a downstream signal.
abstract: The present study was designed to determine the interactive effect of exogenous melatonin and nitric oxide (NO) on sodic alkaline stress mitigation in tomato seedlings. It was observed that exogenous melatonin treatment elevated NO levels in alkaline-stressed tomato roots. However, exogenous NO had little effects on melatonin levels. Importantly, melatonin-induced NO generation was accompanied by increased tolerance to alkaline stress. Chemical scavenging of NO reduced melatonin-induced alkaline stress tolerance and defense genes' expression. However, inhibition of melatonin biosynthesis had a little effect on NO-induced alkaline stress tolerance. These results strongly suggest that NO, acting as a downstream signal, is involved in the melatonin-induced tomato tolerance to alkaline stress. This process creates a new signaling pathway for improving stress tolerance in plant.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China; College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, PR China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China; College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, PR China.
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China; College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China; College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiufeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China; College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, PR China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China; College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, PR China.
authors.forename: Fengjuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China; College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Environment Controlled Agricultural Engineering in Huang-Huai-Hai Region, Ministry of Agriculture, PR China; College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, PR China. Electronic address: qhshi@sdau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012964:Sodium; D008550:Melatonin
keywords: Alkaline stress; Antioxidation; Melatonin; Nitric oxide; Photosynthesis; Tomato