Among abiotic stresses, salt stress is a major threat to crop production all over the world. Present work demonstrates the profuse accumulation of Na⁺ in 2-day-old, dark-grown sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seedlings roots in response to salt stress (NaCl). The pattern of K⁺ accumulation in response to salt stress is similar to that of Na⁺ but on relatively lower scale. Application of nitric oxide (NO) donor (DETA) scales down Na⁺ accumulation in salt-stressed seedlings. The impact of NO donor on K⁺ accumulation is, however, different in control and salt-stressed seedling roots. In control seedlings, it enhances K⁺ accumulation, whereas, it gets reduced in salt-stressed seedlings. Specialised channels called ‘aquaporins’ (AQPs) play a major role maintaining the water status and transport across plant parts under salt-stress. Thus, accumulation of plasma-membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) and tonoplast-intrinsic proteins (TIPs), localised on plasma-membrane and vacuolar-membrane, respectively was undertaken in 2-day-old, dark-grown seedling roots. Salt stress increased the abundance of these isoforms, whereas, NO application resulted in decreased accumulation of PIP2 and TIP1. PIP1 and TIP2 isoforms remained undetectable. Present work thus, puts forward a correlation between AQP expression and ions (Na⁺ and K⁺) homeostasis in response to salt stress and NO.

在非生物胁迫中，盐胁迫是全世界作物生产的主要威胁。目前的工作证明了Na ⁺在2天大的深色向日葵（Helianthus annuus L.）幼苗根中对盐分胁迫（NaCl）的大量积累。响应盐胁迫的K ⁺积累模式与Na ⁺相似，但规模相对较小。一氧化氮（NO）供体（DETA）的施用可减少盐胁迫幼苗中的Na ⁺积累。但是，在对照和盐胁迫的幼苗根中，NO供体对K ⁺积累的影响是不同的。在控制苗中，它可以增加钾^离子积累，而在盐胁迫的幼苗中减少。称为“水通道蛋白”（AQPs）的专门渠道在维持水分状况和盐胁迫下跨植物部分的运输中起着重要作用。因此，分别在两天大的，深色生长的幼苗根中进行了质膜内在蛋白（PIPs）和液泡膜内在蛋白（TIPs）的积累，分别位于质膜和液泡膜上。盐胁迫增加了这些同工型的丰度，而NO施用导致PIP2和TIP1的积累减少。PIP1和TIP2异构体仍然不可检测。因此，目前的工作提出了AQP表达与响应盐胁迫和NO的离子（Na ⁺和K ⁺）稳态之间的相关性。