Silymarin orchestrates reactive oxygen species metabolism, ion homeostasis and morpho-physiological traits to confer salt tolerance in Brassica napus

, EL, and Pro content by 23, 15, 9, and 17%, respectively in 150 mM NaCl-stressed plants compared to their corresponding controls. The activities of glyoxalase, as well as antioxidant enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, peroxidase, lipoxygenase, and superoxide dismutase were also upregulated due to silymarin application. Findings from the current study suggest that salt-induced rapeseed plants exhibited reduced growth attributes alongside elevated oxidative stress markers, including both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Furthermore, it highlights the potential of silymarin as a potential growth regulator and antioxidant that can enhance salt tolerance in rapeseed plants by reducing the harmful effects of reactive oxygen species.