Abstract
Despite substantial evidence suggesting that hydrogen gas (H(2)) can enhance osmotic tolerance in plants, the conventional supply method of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) poses challenges for large-scale agricultural applications. Recently, magnesium hydride (MgH(2)), a hydrogen storage material in industry, has been reported to yield beneficial effects in plants. This study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of MgH(2) in plants under osmotic stress. Mung bean seedlings were cultured under control conditions or with 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000, with or without MgH(2) addition (0.01 g L(-1)). Under our experimental conditions, the MgH(2) solution maintained a higher H(2) content and longer retention time than HRW. Importantly, PEG-stimulated endogenous H(2) production was further triggered by MgH(2) application. Further results revealed that MgH(2) significantly alleviated the inhibition of seedling growth and reduced oxidative damage induced by osmotic stress. Pharmacological evidence suggests the MgH(2)-reestablished redox homeostasis was associated with activated antioxidant systems, particularly the ascorbate-glutathione cycle. The above observations were further supported by the enhanced activities and gene transcriptional levels of ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of MgH(2) in mitigating osmotic stress in mung bean seedlings, providing novel insights into the potential agricultural applications of hydrogen storage materials.