Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42117572›Full record

ArticlePlant, cell & environment2026

ABA Accumulation Confers Cross-Adaptation to Saline-Alkali and Cold Stresses in Alfalfa.

Lei Liu, Mengni Feng, Jiaqi Li, Jinyi Wang, Rui Guo, Juqi Chai, Liang Si, Nan Sun, Changhong Guo

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Plant, cell & environment, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Lei LiuKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Mengni FengKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Jiaqi LiKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Jinyi WangKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Rui GuoKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Juqi ChaiKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Liang SiKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Nan SunKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Changhong GuoKey Laboratory of Molecular and Cytogenetics, College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8543-2942

Funding

Fundamental Research Funds for Provincial Universities in Heilongjiang Province 2025-KYYWF-ZR0133Graduate Innovation Fund of Harbin Normal University HSDSSCX2025-45National Natural Science Foundation of China 31972507National Natural Science Foundation of China U21A20182Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province PL2025C052
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Combined saline-alkali and cold stresses severely constrain plant growth at middle and high latitudes. Plants have evolved cross-adaptation mechanisms wherein exposure to one stress enhances resistance to another. However, the specific mechanisms driving cross-adaptation between saline-alkali and cold stresses in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) remain to be elucidated. Here, we performed integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses coupled with functional validation to elucidate these mechanisms. We found that saline-alkali pretreatment significantly enhanced the tolerance of alfalfa to subsequent cold stress. Compared to cold stress alone, cross-stress conditions increased osmolyte content and photosynthetic efficiency, while alleviating cellular oxidative damage. Integrated omics analyses revealed that cross-stress specifically activated flavonoid biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and signaling pathways. This promoted the accumulation of endogenous ABA, flavonoids, and carbohydrates. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified MsNCED3 as a critical hub gene. Exogenous ABA improved photoprotection and sugar accumulation, and enhanced cold tolerance. MsNCED3 overexpression in alfalfa validated its pivotal role in cross-adaptation by elevating ABA levels and mitigating oxidative damage. In conclusion, we found that MsNCED3-mediated ABA accumulation, along with enhanced antioxidant and osmotic adjustment capabilities, serve as key mechanisms underlying the cross-adaptation of alfalfa to saline-alkali and cold stresses.

Indexed as

Abscisic AcidAdaptation, PhysiologicalCold-Shock ResponseMedicago sativaAlkaliesCold TemperatureGene Expression Regulation, PlantPlant ProteinsSodium ChlorideStress, PhysiologicalTranscriptomeAbscisic AcidAlkaliesPlant ProteinsSodium Chlorideabscisic acidcross‐adaptationMedicago sativa LmetabolomeMsNCED3transcriptome

Identifiers

PMID42117572
PMCPMC13353598

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.