Differential responses of three spring rapeseed (Brassica napus) cultivars to salt stress: Analysis of morphological and biochemical traits, enzymatic activity and expression of the genes related to tolerance.

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Science and high technology and Environmental Sciences, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman,

Abstract

Objective: Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic factors limiting agricultural productivity worldwide, negatively affecting plant growth, development, and yield. Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is the second most important oilseed crop after soybean and is recognized as an economically important agricultural crop. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of salinity stress on growth, physiological, biochemical, enzymatic, and molecular parameters of three spring rapeseed cultivars (Agamex, Trapper, and Hyola61) under controlled conditions.
Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications at three salinity stress levels: zero (normal irrigation conditions), moderate (irrigated with EC 6.5), and severe salinity (irrigated with EC 12.7). Various morphological parameters (root length, stem height, root fresh and dry weight, pod number and 1000-seed weight), physiological and biochemical parameters (photosynthetic pigment concentration, proline content, soluble sugar content, protein and seed oil content) and antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, polyphenol oxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase) were investigated to evaluate the response to salinity. Molecular analysis included RNA extraction from leaves, cDNA synthesis and Real time PCR to examine the expression changes in two genes related to the activity of late embryonic accumulation protein (LEA) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (Mapk) involved in stress resistance.
Results: The results showed that with increasing salinity, a significant decrease in growth and reproductive performance was observed, the highest rate of which was observed in the Agamex cultivar. Photosynthetic pigments decreased, while proline and soluble sugars accumulated, indicating osmo-protective adaptation. Antioxidant enzyme activities were generally increased under moderate salinity, indicating enhanced defense against oxidative stress, mainly in Trapper and Hyola61 cultivars. Gene expression analysis revealed down-regulation of LEA gene expression and specific up-regulation of Mapk under salt stress, indicating transcriptional regulation to salinity.
Conclusions: In this study, Trapper showed greater tolerance to salinity than the other two studied cultivars with better growth, higher yield, higher osmolyte and photosynthetic pigment accumulation, high antioxidant enzyme activity and gene expression patterns under salt stress. The Agamex cultivar showed greater sensitivity, while the Hyola61 cultivar showed moderate responses with specific strengths such as pigment retention and enzymatic antioxidant capacity.

Keywords

References

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Agricultural Biotechnology Journal
Volume 18, Issue 4
August 2026
Pages 111-130

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