Exogenous zeaxanthin enhances cold tolerance in Phalaenopsis-type Dendrobium seedlings through physiological regulation and transcriptomic reprogramming

IF 4.6 2区农林科学 Q1 HORTICULTURE

Scientia Horticulturae Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-10-02 DOI:10.1016/j.scienta.2026.115197

Xiaoyun Yu, Xinjie Wei, Tongyan Yao, Yi Liao, Shuangshuang Yi, Xiaoyan Luo, Chonghui Li, Guangsui Yang, Shunjiao Lu

{"title":"Exogenous zeaxanthin enhances cold tolerance in Phalaenopsis-type Dendrobium seedlings through physiological regulation and transcriptomic reprogramming","authors":"Xiaoyun Yu, Xinjie Wei, Tongyan Yao, Yi Liao, Shuangshuang Yi, Xiaoyan Luo, Chonghui Li, Guangsui Yang, Shunjiao Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.scienta.2026.115197","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Phalaenopsis-type Dendrobium</em>, a significant tropical orchid, is highly sensitive to low temperatures, limiting its cultivation in cooler climates. This study investigated the physiological and transcriptomic responses of Dendrobium seedlings to exogenous zeaxanthin to develop cold-tolerance strategies. Among the five non-brassinosteroid candidate compounds analyzed in the present study, zeaxanthin (optimal concentration: 50 mg <span>L-1</span>) provided the most consistent protection. Its application significantly mitigated cold-induced damage through several mechanisms: Cold tolerance: it reduced leaf chlorosis and lowered the semi-lethal temperature (LT50) from 6.67 °C in the control to 3.02 °C at 50 mg <span>L-1</span> zeaxanthin. Membrane and osmotic stability: malondialdehyde (MDA) levels dropped by 64.2%, while soluble sugars (+37.8%), soluble proteins (+88.7%), and proline (+118.9%) increased. Photosynthetic integrity: zeaxanthin stabilized chlorophyll levels and the photosynthetic apparatus during stress and recovery. Transcriptional reprogramming: RNA-seq and WGCNA revealed zeaxanthin-responsive genes enriched in hormone signaling, MAPK cascades, photosynthesis, and stress-related metabolism. The transcriptomic patterns were consistent with a putative resource reallocation between photosynthesis-related and defense-related programs; because carbon assimilation, electron transport rate, and non-photochemical quenching were not directly measured, this interpretation remains inferential. Efficacy varied with cultivar and seedling age, with ‘Reke Mini’ and younger seedlings showing higher responsiveness. Overall, exogenous zeaxanthin enhances cold resilience in Dendrobium through coordinated membrane stabilization, osmotic adjustment, and transcriptional regulation, providing a foundation for stage-specific cultivation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21679,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Horticulturae","volume":"368 ","pages":"Article 115197"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6000,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Scientia Horticulturae","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030442382600587X","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/10/2 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HORTICULTURE","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Phalaenopsis-type Dendrobium, a significant tropical orchid, is highly sensitive to low temperatures, limiting its cultivation in cooler climates. This study investigated the physiological and transcriptomic responses of Dendrobium seedlings to exogenous zeaxanthin to develop cold-tolerance strategies. Among the five non-brassinosteroid candidate compounds analyzed in the present study, zeaxanthin (optimal concentration: 50 mg L-1) provided the most consistent protection. Its application significantly mitigated cold-induced damage through several mechanisms: Cold tolerance: it reduced leaf chlorosis and lowered the semi-lethal temperature (LT50) from 6.67 °C in the control to 3.02 °C at 50 mg L-1 zeaxanthin. Membrane and osmotic stability: malondialdehyde (MDA) levels dropped by 64.2%, while soluble sugars (+37.8%), soluble proteins (+88.7%), and proline (+118.9%) increased. Photosynthetic integrity: zeaxanthin stabilized chlorophyll levels and the photosynthetic apparatus during stress and recovery. Transcriptional reprogramming: RNA-seq and WGCNA revealed zeaxanthin-responsive genes enriched in hormone signaling, MAPK cascades, photosynthesis, and stress-related metabolism. The transcriptomic patterns were consistent with a putative resource reallocation between photosynthesis-related and defense-related programs; because carbon assimilation, electron transport rate, and non-photochemical quenching were not directly measured, this interpretation remains inferential. Efficacy varied with cultivar and seedling age, with ‘Reke Mini’ and younger seedlings showing higher responsiveness. Overall, exogenous zeaxanthin enhances cold resilience in Dendrobium through coordinated membrane stabilization, osmotic adjustment, and transcriptional regulation, providing a foundation for stage-specific cultivation strategies.

查看原文本刊更多论文

外源玉米黄质通过生理调控和转录组重编程增强蝴蝶兰型石斛幼苗的耐寒性

蝴蝶兰型石斛是一种重要的热带兰花，对低温高度敏感，限制了它在较冷气候下的种植。本研究研究了石斛幼苗对外源玉米黄质的生理和转录组反应，以制定耐寒策略。在本研究分析的5种非油菜素内酯候选化合物中，玉米黄质（最佳浓度为50 mg L-1）的保护效果最为一致。抗寒性：在玉米黄质含量为50 mg L-1时，可减少叶片萎黄，将半致死温度（LT50）从对照的6.67 °C降低到3.02 °C。膜和渗透稳定性：丙二醛（MDA）水平下降64.2%，而可溶性糖（+37.8%），可溶性蛋白（+88.7%）和脯氨酸（+118.9%）增加。光合作用的完整性:玉米黄质稳定的叶绿素含量和光合机构在压力和恢复。转录重编程：RNA-seq和WGCNA揭示了玉米黄质响应基因在激素信号、MAPK级联、光合作用和应激相关代谢中富集。转录组模式与光合作用相关和防御相关项目之间的资源重新分配相一致；由于碳同化、电子传递速率和非光化学猝灭没有直接测量，这种解释仍然是推断性的。效果随品种和苗龄的不同而不同，以“Reke Mini”和较年轻的幼苗表现出较高的响应性。总的来说，外源玉米黄质通过协调膜稳定、渗透调节和转录调节来增强石斛的抗寒能力，为特定阶段的培养策略提供了基础。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Scientia Horticulturae 农林科学-园艺

CiteScore

8.60

自引率

4.70%

发文量

796

审稿时长

47 days

期刊介绍： Scientia Horticulturae is an international journal publishing research related to horticultural crops. Articles in the journal deal with open or protected production of vegetables, fruits, edible fungi and ornamentals under temperate, subtropical and tropical conditions. Papers in related areas (biochemistry, micropropagation, soil science, plant breeding, plant physiology, phytopathology, etc.) are considered, if they contain information of direct significance to horticulture. Papers on the technical aspects of horticulture (engineering, crop processing, storage, transport etc.) are accepted for publication only if they relate directly to the living product. In the case of plantation crops, those yielding a product that may be used fresh (e.g. tropical vegetables, citrus, bananas, and other fruits) will be considered, while those papers describing the processing of the product (e.g. rubber, tobacco, and quinine) will not. The scope of the journal includes all horticultural crops but does not include speciality crops such as, medicinal crops or forestry crops, such as bamboo. Basic molecular studies without any direct application in horticulture will not be considered for this journal.