Effect of Salinity Stress on Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Halophytes Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. and Glaux maritima L. Cultured In Vitro

Abstract

The study of halophytes as sources of phenolic compounds, as well as conditions that further enhance the accumulation of biologically active compounds in them, is of particular interest. In this paper, the effect of different salinity levels (25–500 mM in the form of NaCl) on the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of two rare halophyte species Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. and Glaux maritima L. cultured in vitro was investigated. A species-specific reaction of plants to salinization was established. In G. maritima, the maximum total content of phenolic compounds was observed at 50–100 mM, flavonoids 75–400 mM, and hydroxycinnamic acids 200–300 mM, as well as individual phenolics (protocatechuic acid, catechin, astragalin, hyperoside, rutin, isoquercitrin, and apigenin derivative) at 100–300 mM NaCl. For S. marina, on the contrary, there was a slight decrease in the content of phenolic compounds when NaCl was added to the nutrient medium compared to the control. The content of protocatechuic acid, rosmarinic acid, and apigenin derivative significantly decreased with increased salt stress. The change in antioxidant activity at different salinity levels was also species specific. The maximum values of different groups of phenolic compounds in G. maritima were observed at 50–300 mM NaCl. The cultivation of S. marina without the addition of NaCl and at 500 mM NaCl allowed the production of plants with the highest content of phenolic compounds. The obtained results can be further used in the development of protocols for the cultivation of these plants in vitro in order to induce the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in them.

Habitat preference, phytochemical constituents and biological potency of four Egyptian Mediterranean halophytes

“…Similar results have been reported for Cakile maritima, whereby, with increasing salinity in arid conditions, the polyphenols and antioxidant activity increase (Ksouri et al, 2007). However, in response to salinization, the phenol accumulation in halophytes is varied, depending on species genotype, organ-specific factor, ontogenetic state, and duration and intensity of salinization (Pungin et al, 2023).…”

“…On the other hand, under abiotic stress, including saline conditions and nutrient deficiency in coastal areas, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced, which are toxic to the cell (Miller et al, 2010). Hence, the application of high levels of NaCl to Thymus vulgaris and Glaux maritima cultures triggers the production of phenols and flavonoids, which improve the antioxidant potential (Bistgani et al, 2019;Pungin et al, 2023). The IC 50 scavenging activity of A. macrostachyum was noticeably higher than the one reported earlier for the same species by other authors (Lopes et al, 2016;Rodrigues et al, 2014).…”

Growth, Physiology and Nutritional Quality of C4 Halophyte Portulaca oleracea L. Grown Aeroponically in Different Percentages of Artificial Seawater under Different Light-Emitting Diode Spectral Qualities

“…Statistically, all plants had a similar root DW ( Figure 2 D) and shoot/root DW ratio ( Figure 2 F). Higher root FW but not root DW of purslane grown under R/B 2.2 with 10% ASW conditions ( Figure 2 D) may be due to the water accumulation effect in roots, which may be associated with root morphology such as root length influenced by salinity [ 15 , 26 , 27 , 28 ] and/or LED spectral quality [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Kafi and Rahhimi [ 15 ] reported that salinity resulted in a decrease in root volume, surface area, diameter and total length.…”

“…Kafi and Rahhimi [ 15 ] reported that salinity resulted in a decrease in root volume, surface area, diameter and total length. In the study with two other halophytes, Glaux maritima and Spergularia marin , it was reported that high salinities not only reduced the growth of both shoot and root, but also altered the morphological traits of shoot and roots [ 27 ]. Under salinity stress, plant roots had their own adaptive strategies in changing not only morphological traits such as root length and root surface area but also the anatomical structure such as the root xylem thickness and root phloem thickness [ 28 ].…”

Putting Biochar in Action: A Black Gold for Efficient Mitigation of Salinity Stress in Plants. Review and Future Directions

“…Salinity-induced osmotic stress causes water scarcity in plants and leads to a reduction in plant growth. Further, salinity also cause ionic toxicity and nutritional imbalance, therefore resulting in a significant reduction in plant growth. − Salinity stress negatively affects plant physiological processes including photosynthesis, nutrient acquisition, and water uptake. − Photosynthesis is one of the most important processes that provides energy and organic molecules for the growth and development of plants . However, plant photosynthesis is progressively reduced with increasing salinity stress owing to reduced carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) availability, disturbed light harvesting, hindered electron flow, and carbon assimilation .…”