Endogenous Brassinosteroids Are Involved in the Formation of Salt Resistance in Plants.

The endogenous brassinosteroid (BS) profile was for the first time shown to change in response to salt stress in potato plants. A group of 6-keto-BSs was identified and found to significantly increase in content during salinization in contrast to other groups of hormones examined. A tenfold reduction in the level of endogenous BSs in mutant Arabidopsis thaliana plants with impaired biosynthesis (det2) (or reception (bri1)) of phytosteroids decreased their salt resistance, as evidenced by a lower efficiency of photochemical processes of photosystem II (PSII) and growth inhibition. The results confirmed the idea that endogenous BSs are involved in the formation of salt resistance in plants.

Polymetallic Stress Changes the Endogenous Status of Brassinosteroids and Reduces the Effectiveness of Photochemical Reactions Photosystem II in Barley Plants.

The effect of polymetallic stress (Mn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, and Al3+) of different duration and intensity on the endogenous brassinosteroids (BS) content and photochemical activity of photosystem II in barley plants was studied. The content of steroid hormones was determined by a two-stage enzyme immunoassay. It was established for the first time that barley plants responded to polymetallic stress by changing the endogenous content of various phytosteroid groups (24S-methylBS, 24-epiBS, 28-homoBS, B-lactoneBS, and 6-ketoBS). It was shown that the stress-dependent dynamics of changes in the endogenous content of various BS groups is characterized by organ specificity and is determined by the age of plants, the intensity of the acting stressor, and the specificity of brassinosteroids. The observed changes in the endogenous status of BS in barley plants under polymetallic stress are accompanied by inhibition of growth processes, a decrease in the content of the main photosynthetic pigments, and a slight decrease in the efficiency of photochemical processes in PS II (Fv/Fm, ETR, qN, and NPQ). Considering the multifunctional stress-protective effect of brassinosteroids, it is assumed that the change in the endogenous status of BS against the background of polymetallic pollution is adaptive and allows minimizing the damaging effects of toxic heavy metals and aluminum.

Comparison of Protective Reactions of Rape Seeds to Chloride Salination at Exposure to Epibrassinolide before or during Salt Stress.

We compared the defensive response of rape plants to treatment with 24-epibrassinoldide (10 nM, EBL) before the onset of salt stress (preadaptation stage) and under conditions of chloride salination (150 mM NaCl). It is shown that salt stress inhibits some growth parameters by 30-35%. EBL, regardless of the plant treatment method, showed a pronounced protective effect, first of all, at the level of the assimilating surface, the main photosynthetic pigments, and the photochemical activity of photosystem II. It was established for the first time that the pretreatment of plants with EBL followed by salt stress is accompanied by suppression of NaCl-induced accumulation of proline and an increase in superoxide dismutase activity, whereas the addition of a hormone under salt stress increases the content of carotenoids, which leads to a decrease in the level of lipid peroxidation.

Exogenic Melatonin Reduces the Toxic Effect of Polymetallic Stress on Barley Plants.

The effect of melatonin on growth parameters, the photochemical activity of photosystem II (PS II), the content of the main photosynthetic pigments, and lipid peroxidation in barley plant leaves under polymetallic stress were studied. Melatonin reduces the toxic effect of polymetals on biomass accumulation, root growth, and maintenance of the assimilating surface. The protective action of the hormone is based on its ability to reduce the intensity of oxidative stress by maintaining the level of carotenoids and increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase, but not by regulating the photochemical activity of chloroplasts. The effectiveness of melatonin does not depend on the duration of exposure. The data obtained can be the basis for optimizing the use of melatonin as a plant priming inducer.

Melatonin Supports Photochemical Activity of Assimilation Apparatus and Delays Senescence of Leaves of Monocotyledonous Plants.

Melatonin supports the photochemical activity of photosystem II (PS II) and slows down the degradation of the main photosynthetic pigments during aging of leaves of monocotyledonous plants. The protective effect of melatonin is manifested in an increase in the maximum (Fv/Fm) and effective (Y(II)) quantum yield of PS II, in an increase of regulated (Y(NPQ)) and a decrease in unregulated dissipation of excitation energy (Y(NO)). These effects are based on the ability of melatonin to reduce the intensity of oxidative stress by maintaining a high level of carotenoids, which exhibit pronounced antioxidant properties, during aging.

Jasmonic Acid Enhances the Potato Plant Resistance to the Salt Stress in Vitro.

The protective effect of jasmonic acid (JA) was evaluated under the stress conditions (100 mM NaCl). The potato plants Solanum tuberosum L, mid-season variety Lugovskoy, were used in the experiments. The plant-regenerants were grafted and grown in test tubes on the modified Murashige and Skoog agar medium in the absence (control) or presence of JA at concentrations of 0.001, 0.1, and 10 µM under the optimal conditions or with addition of NaCl. After 28 days of cultivation, the growth (stem and root lengths, tier and leaf numbers, and plant mass) and physiological (proline and photosynthetic pigment contents and teh osmotic potential of cell exudate) characteristics of the plants were assessed. Jasmonic acid (0.1 and 10 µM) has been demonstrated to display a pronounced protective effect on potato plants under the salt stress condition. JA abolished partially the negative salt effect on the main photosynthetic pigments and maintained the cell osmotic status during salinization.

The Endogenous Brassinosteroid Content and Balance in Potato Microclones Is Determined by Organ Specificity and the Variety Ripening Term.

The brassinosteroid (BS) profiles in shoots and roots of the potato plants were shown to be organ-specific and dependent on the term of variety ripening. The amount of all studied groups of steroid phytohormones proved to be an order of magnitude higher in roots than in shoots. In roots, the brassinosteroid lactones predominated, while in shoots, their biogenetic precursors, 6-ketones, were prevailing. The early-ripening variety Zhukovsky Early is characterized by a high content of almost all BS groups (first of all, brassinolide group) and a relatively high content of B-lactones in shoots. With aging, the content of B-lactones in plants decreases, while that of B-ketones grows up.

Tolerance of Potato Plants to Chloride Salinity Is Regulated by Selective Light.

Potato plant tolerance to chloride salinity rose after short-term exposure to blue light, which has been first shown in this study. The protective effect of blue light was based on its ability to stimulate the accumulation of low-molecular weight organic compounds with antioxidant activity.

The Priming of Potato Plants Induced by Brassinosteroids Reduces Oxidative Stress and Increases Salt Tolerance.

This is the first study to show that brief pretreatment of potato plants with two brassinosteroids differing in structure causes in plants the ability to react to delayed salt stress by accumulation of compounds with antioxidant activity and by increased salt tolerance.

[Modern aspects of diagnosis of presbycusis and its treatment in elderly patients].

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of tanakan used to treat tympanophonia in elderly women. The entire spectrum of modern audiological technique was employed to examine the patients. It was shown that tanakan therapy decreases intensity of typmanytis and improves speech hearing in aged patients. The results of the study give reason to recommend the treatment with tanakan for the elderly patients presenting with either presbiacusis or normal tonal hearing.