Figure 5.

Schematic diagram of shungite-mediated tolerance under heat stress in cucumber. Red solid arrows show plants directly influenced by shungite. Heat stress causes the development of ROS and various types of cell and organ damage, including the degradation of membrane, DNA, and protein. The addition of shungite to soil activates genes related to photosynthesis and the defense response, increases ROS scavenger activity, and reduces cellular or organ damage. This leads to higher growth rates and chlorophyll content.