Study on the Metabolic Pathways of Flavonoids in Flax Roots under Salt Stress
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1
Crop Research Institute, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 1# Xin village, Agricultural Science Academy, Lanzhou, 730070, China
2
Seed Station of Baiyin City,No. 140, Shuichuan Road, Baiyin District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, Postcode: 730900,China.
3
Gansu General Station of Agro-Technology Extension, 708# West Jiayuguan Road, Lanzhou, 730020, China.
4
Department of Soil Science, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam. Postcode:70060, Pakistan
5
Xi’an Fanyi University, 123# Taiyigong street, Xi’an, 710105, China
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Corresponding author
Wan Baoxing
Seed Station of Baiyin City,No. 140, Shuichuan Road, Baiyin District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, Postcode: 730900,China.
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ABSTRACT
Salt stress is a major constraint affecting crop productivity, and understanding plant metabolic responses is essential for improving tolerance. In this study, we examined the metabolic pathways of flavonoids in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) roots using a salt-tolerant genotype (R40) and a salt-sensitive genotype (R24). Plants were subjected to 150 mmol L⁻¹ NaCl, and changes in metabolites were analyzed using a widely targeted metabolomics approach. A total of 732 metabolites were detected, including 332 that increased and 400 that decreased under salt stress. Among these, 163 flavonoids were further analyzed to explore their role in stress response. KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant changes in flavonoid-related pathways, with 9 pathways upregulated, 10 down-regulated, and 4 showing mixed responses. Key metabolites with strong antioxidant properties, such as quercetin and epicatechin, were identified as important components of the plant’s defense mechanism. Notably, clear differences were observed between the tolerant and sensitive genotypes in terms of flavonoid accumulation and metabolic patterns. These findings highlight the important role of flavonoids in helping flax cope with salinity stress and provide useful insights for developing salt-tolerant varieties.