EN
Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has the ability to strengthen plant stress tolerance; however, the effects of H₂S on wheat seedlings under salt stress and the underlying molecular mechanism are still unclear. This study examined the effects of exogenous NaHS as H₂S donor on photosynthesis, antioxidant system, and the expression profile of genes related to antioxidant defense responses, the salt overly sensitive (SOS) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in wheat seedlings treated with NaCl stress. H₂S application improved photosynthesis, and decreased H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in wheat seedling leaves under NaCl stress. In addition, antioxidant enzyme activity and the content of ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione increased with H₂S application. Moreover, H₂S pretreatment up-regulated expression levels of genes related to antioxidant system, SOS pathway and MAPK pathway as well as the transcription factor dehydration-responsive element binding gene. Overall, these findings suggest that H₂S alleviates salt stress in wheat seedlings not only by strengthening antioxidant defense systems, but by coordinating signal transduction pathways related to the stress response at a transcriptional level.