Thiamine Regulated Osmolyte Accumulation, Nutrient Acquisition, and ROS Metabolism to Lessen Salinity Effects on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The present study encompassed the impact of thiamine priming on growth, photosynthesis, osmotic adjustment, reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, and nutrient acquisition in salinity-stressed wheat. This study focused on how thiamine priming regulated the uptake of nutrient elements (K, Ca, P, Zn, Mg, and Fe). Seeds were primed with different thiamine doses (75 and 100 mg L^‒1). After that, seeds were sown in plastic pots filled with sand. Hoagland’s solution was provided to pots for nutrition. Plants were subjected to NaCl salinity (0 and 150 mM). The effect of thiamine priming was examined on key physio-biochemical attributes under salinity. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement and there were five replications of each treatment. Plants manifested a substantial buildup of toxic leaf sodium (596.88 and 247.25%) and leaf chloride (319.29 and 293.98%) ions that remarkably subsided the acquisition of essential nutrients under salinity in cv. FSD-2008 and Galaxy-2013, respectively. Our findings demonstrated that thiamine seed priming effectively mitigated salinity-induced oxidative stress by reducing ROS production (50.11 and 50.95%) and lipid peroxidation (175.79 and 180.26%) in FSD-2008 and Galaxy-2013, respectively. Thiamine-primed plants exhibited enhanced osmotic adjustment through the increased accumulation of osmolytes, thus enabling better water retention and maintenance of cellular hydration under salinity stress conditions. Furthermore, thiamine seed priming significantly upregulated the activity of the antioxidant system, including enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), which played a crucial role in scavenging ROS and preventing oxidative damage. This study unveils novel insights into the less-explored realm of thiamine seed priming, revealing its potential as a potent strategy for augmenting salinity tolerance in wheat. By alleviating oxidative stress and aiding in osmotic adjustment, thiamine seed priming emerges as a promising and effective approach. These discoveries not only contribute to the understanding of thiamine’s role but also hold significant implications for practical applications, offering a novel avenue to enhance wheat resilience against salinity stress.