Interactive effects of salinity and melatonin on growth, antioxidant defense, and nutrient composition of radish microgreens

Interactive effects of salinity and melatonin on growth, antioxidant defense, and nutrient composition of radish microgreens | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Interactive effects of salinity and melatonin on growth, antioxidant defense, and nutrient composition of radish microgreens Fardin Ghanbari This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8103943/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 18 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Enhancing the growth and nutritional quality of microgreen vegetables has gained increasing attention due to their significant health benefits. Sodium chloride (NaCl), acting as a chemical eustressor at low concentrations, can induce metabolic pathways that enhance plant secondary metabolites and antioxidant compounds. Melatonin, a multifunctional plant regulator, has recently been recognized as an elicitor capable of enhancing stress tolerance. Methods This study investigated the interactive effects of different salinity levels (0, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mM NaCl) and exogenous melatonin application (0, 100, 200 µM) on growth, photosynthetic pigments, bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, nutrient elements, and oxidative stress markers in radish microgreens. Results Low salinity (10–40 mM NaCl) enhanced growth, mineral nutrients (Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn), and antioxidant compounds without triggering oxidative stress. High salinity (80 mM NaCl) decreased growth, pigments, and vitamin C, and increased reactive oxygen species. Exogenous melatonin acted as an elicitor, mitigating salinity-induced damage by improving growth, pigments, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, vitamin C, antioxidant enzyme (CAT, POD and SOD) activities, and nutrient balance. Conclusions The synergistic effect of mild salinity and melatonin treatment enhanced bioactive compound accumulation and antioxidant capacity without compromising growth, suggesting a promising strategy to improve the nutritional quality and antioxidant compounds of radish microgreens. Antioxidant defense Bioactive compounds Eustressor Nutrient composition Oxidative stress Vitamin C Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 17 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 10 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 05 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 31 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 31 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 31 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 26 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Jan, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 16 Jan, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 25 Nov, 2025 Editor invited by journal 25 Nov, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 20 Nov, 2025 First submitted to journal 20 Nov, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8103943","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":576073508,"identity":"58d7fec6-fb0b-4175-ab15-a36bb5d7a9e6","order_by":0,"name":"Fardin 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Sodium chloride (NaCl), acting as a chemical eustressor at low concentrations, can induce metabolic pathways that enhance plant secondary metabolites and antioxidant compounds. Melatonin, a multifunctional plant regulator, has recently been recognized as an elicitor capable of enhancing stress tolerance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study investigated the interactive effects of different salinity levels (0, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mM NaCl) and exogenous melatonin application (0, 100, 200 \u0026micro;M) on growth, photosynthetic pigments, bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, nutrient elements, and oxidative stress markers in radish microgreens.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow salinity (10\u0026ndash;40 mM NaCl) enhanced growth, mineral nutrients (Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn), and antioxidant compounds without triggering oxidative stress. High salinity (80 mM NaCl) decreased growth, pigments, and vitamin C, and increased reactive oxygen species. Exogenous melatonin acted as an elicitor, mitigating salinity-induced damage by improving growth, pigments, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, vitamin C, antioxidant enzyme (CAT, POD and SOD) activities, and nutrient balance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe synergistic effect of mild salinity and melatonin treatment enhanced bioactive compound accumulation and antioxidant capacity without compromising growth, suggesting a promising strategy to improve the nutritional quality and antioxidant compounds of radish microgreens.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Interactive effects of salinity and melatonin on growth, antioxidant defense, and nutrient composition of radish microgreens","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-20 19:24:52","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8103943/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-17T13:58:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"322335476185407336888108874551463740628","date":"2026-04-17T13:17:52+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-17T02:48:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"267237065286465002888076561517098889425","date":"2026-04-13T04:45:53+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-10T13:12:37+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"58564219257739078090700750450304640971","date":"2026-04-08T02:10:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"105815932279258861727182254847055643032","date":"2026-04-07T15:14:29+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-05T17:42:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"157863832285117259187533610496293523384","date":"2026-03-31T18:36:31+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"227348836316147501096155414913406310076","date":"2026-03-31T18:15:30+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"261365610110647157835745542148526800746","date":"2026-03-31T18:09:54+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-01-26T10:32:29+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"138392062605621912828887489138245405382","date":"2026-01-17T14:18:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-01-16T09:24:38+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-11-25T11:04:04+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-11-25T10:40:56+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-11-20T18:09:40+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Plant Biology","date":"2025-11-20T18:05:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-plant-biology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pbio","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Plant Biology](http://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pbio/default.aspx","title":"BMC Plant Biology","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"07c7c391-af90-4a39-8bbb-1e90ce545d87","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 20th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-11T17:24:13+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-20 19:24:52","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8103943","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8103943","identity":"rs-8103943","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}