BackgroundThe exogenous application of priming molecules to plants helps them to develop tolerance against salinity stress. In the present study, we used exogenous naringenin (0.5 mM) pretreatment before the stress in sa ower seedlings under 25 mM NaCl to elucidate the role of naringenin to alleviate oxidative conditions associated with salinity complications. ResultsOur results showed biomass, leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, K + content, and K + /Na + ratio were negatively affected by 25 mM NaCl. However, the H 2 O 2 accumulation, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, antioxidant enzymes and Na + content of NaCl-stressed sa ower seedlings were remarkably increased. The results obtained in the present study showed the bene cial effects of the pre-treatment of naringenin in sa ower seedlings under non-salinity stress condition with respect to increasing plant biomass, total phenolic compound, radical scavenging activity (RSA), soluble sugar content, proline, glutathione, enzymatic antioxidants, and K + content. Also, the results showed that naringenin pretreatment can (partly) be overcome NaCl-induced stress on sa ower seedlings, probably due to higher accumulation of plant biomass, total phenolic compound, RSA, catalase (CAT) activity, and K + /Na + ratio as well as lowering the H 2 O 2 and MDA content in the leaves. ConclusionsGenerally, it could be concluded that, pre-treatment of naringenin before stress could partly diminish NaClcaused oxidative stress in sa ower seedlings, probably due to improvement in enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant and reduced cell membrane damage.

Background The exogenous application of priming molecules to plants helps them to develop tolerance against salinity stress. In the present study, we used exogenous naringenin (0.5 mM) pretreatment before the stress in safflower seedlings under 25 mM NaCl to elucidate the role of naringenin to alleviate oxidative conditions associated with salinity complications. Results Our results showed biomass, leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, K+ content, and K+/Na+ ratio were negatively affected by 25 mM NaCl. However, the H2O2 accumulation, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, antioxidant enzymes and Na+ content of NaCl-stressed safflower seedlings were remarkably increased. The results obtained in the present study showed the beneficial effects of the pre-treatment of naringenin in safflower seedlings under non-salinity stress condition with respect to increasing plant biomass, total phenolic compound, radical scavenging activity (RSA), soluble sugar content, proline, glutathione, enzymatic antioxidants, and K+ content. Also, the results showed that naringenin pre-treatment can (partly) be overcome NaCl-induced stress on safflower seedlings, probably due to higher accumulation of plant biomass, total phenolic compound, RSA, catalase (CAT) activity, and K+/Na+ ratio as well as lowering the H2O2 and MDA content in the leaves. Conclusions Generally, it could be concluded that, pre-treatment of naringenin before stress could partly diminish NaCl-caused oxidative stress in safflower seedlings, probably due to improvement in enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant and reduced cell membrane damage.