Harnessing the Power of Ellagic Acid: A Natural Shield Against Salt Stress in Wheat and Chickpea

The research investigates how ellagic acid (EA) influences the reduction of salinity stress in wheat and chickpea plants. Salinity is a major challenge for global agriculture as it interferes with vital plant physiological functions, especially photosynthesis, by causing ion imbalances and oxidative damage. This study examines EA, a phenolic compound known for its antioxidant capabilities, and its ability to counteract the detrimental impacts of salt stress. In this experiment, wheat and chickpea plants were grown under controlled conditions and exposed to salinity (100 mM NaCl), both with and without the application of EA (12.5 µM). Various parameters, such as fresh and dry biomass, proline concentration, and gas exchange rates, were recorded. The findings revealed that salt stress drastically lowered both biomass and gas exchange performance in the plants, but the application of EA partially alleviated these negative effects. EA enhanced both fresh and dry weights, minimized electrolyte leakage, and elevated proline levels, particularly in chickpea plants. Additionally, gas exchange parameters, including carbon assimilation (A), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E), improved with the combined EA and salt treatment compared to salt stress alone. The study concludes that EA serves as a protective agent against oxidative damage caused by salinity, enhancing growth parameters and boosting photosynthetic performance. This suggests that EA could be a valuable approach to increasing plant tolerance to salinity in agricultural systems..