Carotenoid Accumulation in the Rhododendron chrysanthum Is Mediated by Abscisic Acid Production Driven by UV-B Stress

Abstract

Rhododendron chrysanthum (R. chrysanthum) development is hampered by UV-B sunlight because it damages the photosynthetic system and encourages the buildup of carotenoids. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how R. chrysanthum repairs the photosynthetic system to encourage the formation of carotenoid pigments. The carotenoid and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations of the R. chrysanthum were ascertained in this investigation. Following UV-B stress, the level of carotenoids was markedly increased, and there was a strong correlation between carotenoids and ABA. The modifications of R. chrysanthum’s OJIP transient curves were examined in order to verify the regulatory effect of ABA on carotenoid accumulation. It was discovered that external application of ABA lessened the degree of damage on the donor side and lessened the damage caused by UV-B stress on R. chrysanthum. Additionally, integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics were used to examine the changes in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differential metabolites (DMs) in R. chrysanthum in order to have a better understanding of the role that ABA plays in carotenoid accumulation. The findings indicated that the majority of DEGs were connected to carotenoid accumulation and ABA signaling sensing. To sum up, we proposed a method for R. chrysanthum carotenoid accumulation. UV-B stress activates ABA production, which then interacts with transcription factors to limit photosynthesis and accumulate carotenoids, such as MYB-enhanced carotenoid biosynthesis. This study showed that R. chrysanthum’s damage from UV-B exposure was lessened by carotenoid accumulation, and it also offered helpful suggestions for raising the carotenoid content of plants.