Abstract
Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an economically important crop. Drought adversely affects nutrient acquisition and early vegetative development, thereby constraining the growth potential of soybean seedlings. Phospholipase C (PLC) participates in diverse biological processes, yet its function in soybeans has not been fully explored. In this study, we generated GmPLC8-overexpressing (OE) and GmPLC8-silenced soybean seedlings to investigate the function of GmPLC8. The results showed that GmPLC8-OE lines exhibited higher tolerance than wild-type seedlings, whereas GmPLC8-silenced seedlings were more sensitive. This was associated with reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) levels in GmPLC8-OE lines, and increased levels in GmPLC8-silenced seedlings. Further analysis revealed that drought caused smaller stomatal apertures and higher abscisic acid (ABA) content in GmPLC8-OE lines. Moreover, the transcription levels of ABA-related genes were upregulated in GmPLC8-OE lines. Taken together, these findings suggest that GmPLC8 enhances drought tolerance in soybean by regulating stomatal aperture.