Enhancing rice salt stress tolerance by priming with Validamycin A

A possible survival strategy of plants under saline conditions is to use some compounds that could alleviate salt stress. Application of validamycin A, a potent inhibitor of trehalase as seed soaking prior to sowing in saline soil with salinity level (EC 10.06 dS m−1) to Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars (cv.) salt sensitive Sakha 103 and salt tolerance Agami M5 was investigated. Salinity stress decreased starch and total soluble protein contents concomitantly with increasing total soluble sugars, proline and free amino acids in both cultivars. Validamycin A decreased the activity of trehalase which leads to the accumulation of trehalose in both cultivars of rice plants. Raising trehalose level in the plant tissues was accompanied by increasing the starch and protein content and appearance of new protein pattern of both cultivars. The results indicated that application of validamycin A increased grain yield, 1000 grain weight and filled-grain percentage for both rice cultivars under saline field conditions. Soaking rice seeds with 30 μM of validamycin A could alleviate the harmful effects of salinity stress