The Effects of NPR1 Dependent Salicylic Acid Change in Increasing Salt Tolerance of Soybean Leaves by Acclimation

Non-expressor of Pathogen Related 1 (NPR1) is a regulatory gene of the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway, the detailed mechanism of which is still not well understood. This study investigated the effects of NPR1-dependent SA level change on increasing salt tolerance of soybean leaves with acclimation. Salt-sensitive (‘SA88’) and salt-tolerant (‘Erensoy’) soybean (Glycine max L.) plants were treated with increasing NaCl concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100 mM; acclimation) and with 100 mM NaCl directly (non-acclimation) in two groups. The results showed that acclimation treatment alleviated salt-induced damage in the sensitive cultivar with increasing superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, and decreasing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. However, the APX, CAT, and GST enzyme activities were increased by acclimation treatment, with the highest increase observed in GST enzymes. Interestingly, the Gmnpr1 gene expression was upregulated in all treatments but was more pronounced in non-acclimation. Furthermore, the highest increase in endogenous SA level was under acclimation treatment in ‘SA88’. In conclusion, the results firstly showed that an acclimation process is useful for increasing salt tolerance in sensitive soybean plants with only ROS-inducted NPR1-independent SA accumulation but not through the NPR1-dependent SA signaling pathway.