Exogenous SNP alleviates high-temperature stress in rice at flowering via coordinated antioxidant, nitrogen, and hormone regulation.

Exogenous SNP at 150 μmol L-1 significantly alleviates high-temperature stress-induced yield loss in rice, with a 74.3% recovery in the heat-sensitive YR343 cultivar.

• Why it matters: High-temperature stress during flowering threatens rice production, and understanding how to enhance thermotolerance is crucial for food security amid climate change.
• What they did: Researchers applied SNP to both heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive rice cultivars exposed to a 24-hour high-temperature cycle, measuring physiological and yield responses.
• The result: SNP improved yield and physiological resilience by reducing leaf and panicle temperatures, activating antioxidant enzymes, maintaining nitrogen assimilation, and rebalancing hormones, especially in the heat-sensitive genotype.