Research Information System
Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, vol.26, no.1, pp.1007-1021, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Purpose To examine how Ulva lactuca extract (UE) affects strawberry cultivars’ responses to high-temperature stress. Methods Two strawberry cultivars were grown under 23/18°C and 40/30°C conditions with/without UE treatment. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyzed UE amino acid composition. We measured growth parameters, lipid peroxidation, membrane damage, antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR)), and gene expression of heat shock proteins (HSP) (hsp70, hsp83, hsp90) and transcription factors (HSF) (hsfA1, hsfA9, hsfB2a, hsfC1) using Real-Time PCR. Results UE was rich in threonine, proline, and glutamic acid. At 40/30°C, 0.1% UE significantly decreased lipid peroxidation and membrane damage. UE enhanced CAT and GR enzyme activities under heat stress, strengthening antioxidant defense. Heat-stressed plants treated with 0.1% UE showed upregulated hsfA1, hsp70, and hsp83 genes. CAT and GR activities positively correlated with hsp83 expression, while hsfA1 expression correlated with both CAT and GR activities. Conclusions The UE mitigates oxidative damage, promotes heat shock protein gene expression, and enhances temperature stress tolerance in strawberries. These findings suggest UE’s potential as a natural bio-stimulant for improving crop resilience under climate stress conditions.