Unravelling the molecular mechanisms of abscisic acid-mediated drought-stress alleviation in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), a fruit tree of great economic and nutritional importance, is sensitive to drought stress, which largely affects its transplantation survival rate, fruit yield and quality. Abscisic acid (ABA) treatment can reduce the drought-induced adverse impacts on plants. However, our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms behind ABA-mediated drought tolerance in pomegranates is still limited. In this study, we treated the pomegranates under drought stress with exogenous ABA of different concentrations (30, 60 and 90 μM) and found that, compared to those without treatment, ABA can improve pomegranate's growth condition and related physiological responding processes. We also performed comparative transcriptome analysis between the ABA-treated and untreated pomegranates to reveal the ABA-induced mechanisms in response to drought-stress. Our results showed that exogenous ABA application substantially enhanced pomegranate drought resistance by strengthening some metabolic pathways, such as brassinosteroid synthesis, peroxisome biogenesis, photosynthesis and hemicelluloses synthesis. Furthermore, the over-dose treatment of exogenous ABA was found to trigger ABA degradation process and a feedback loop in pomegranate to balances the ABA accumulation that exceeds the optimal ABA requirement, at the cost of suppressed growth process and stress resistance. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular regulation mechanisms underlying the ABA-mediated drought-stress resistance in pomegranates. •ABA treatment alleviates adverse effects caused by drought stress on pomegranates.•ABA-induced transcriptional responses to drought stress is profiled in pomegranates.•ABA enhanced pomegranate's drought response by strengthening some metabolic pathways.•Brassinosteroid synthesis, peroxisome and photosynthesis were induced by ABA.•Over-dose ABA treatment triggers a feedback loop to balance exceeding ABA content.