Figure 5.

Effects of salt stress and exogenous GA₃ application on α-amylase and GA metabolic gene expression in the shoots of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings (A–I). After 14-days incubation in distilled water, rice seedlings were treated with distilled water (control), 120 mM NaCl, or 120 mM NaCl + 50 or 100 µM GA3. After 6 h incubation, gene expression levels in the shoots of different rice cultivars were analysed. Data are presented as the mean ± SE, with gene expression levels given relative to the expression levels of α-amylase genes in the control group. Asterisks indicate a significant difference compared to control, analysed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.00; ns, not significant. GA, gibberellin; GA3, gibberellic acid.