Analysis of miRNAs in winter Brassica rapa under drought stress
The drought-resistant variety Longyou 7 (formerly BR18R-1) screened by the rapeseed research group of Gansu Agricultural University (Gansu, China) was used as the test material. Healthy and viable seeds were carefully chosen for disinfection. Seeds were then rinsed with distilled water and placed on moist filter paper to facilitate germination. After 5 days, the germinated seeds were transplanted into nutrient soil and cultivated at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The soil moisture level was maintained at 80%. The plants were allowed to grow until they reached the 3 to 4 leaf stage. At this point, a drought treatment was initiated. The control group received normal watering (CK), while the treatment group was subjected to simulated drought stress using a 17% PEG solution for 7 days (D). The effective soil moisture level was maintained at 10% during this period. Subsequently, the drought-stressed seedlings were rewatered for 4 days (R) to restore the health of leaves. The samples of rapeseed leaves were collected after various treatments. For each treatment, three biological replicates were taken for miRNAomics.