Methyl jasmonate alleviates water stress-induced damages by promoting dehydrins accumulation in wheat plants.

The investigation of dehydrins participation in MeJA-induced protection of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) from drought stress was performed. The dehydration was designed by the presence of mannitol in increasing concentration (3, 4, and 5%) in the growth medium of wheat seedlings. Pre-treatment of 3-days-old seedlings with 0.1 μM MeJA reduced the level of drought-induced growth retardation as well as membrane structures lesions. Exogenous MeJA enhanced accumulation of the TADHN dehydrin transcripts and dehydrin proteins with Mw 28 and 55 kDa in wheat seedlings under normal conditions and additionally increased their expression during dehydration. The obtained data may indicate the dehydrins involvement in MeJA protective effect on wheat plants from the damages caused by water deficit.