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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #430900
Research Project: Conservation, Management, Characterization, and Distribution of Subtropical and Tropical Ornamental Genetic Resources

Location: Subtropical Horticulture Research

Title: Transcriptomic insights into salinity responses in Roystonea oleracea under freshwater and saline field conditions

Author
item VAISHALI, GOPALA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Nageswara Rao, Madhugiri
item GRIFFITH, PATRICK - Montgomery Botanical Center
item TUCKER, DANIEL - Montgomery Botanical Center
item Singh, Sukhwinder

Submitted to: International Journal of Plant Biology and Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/7/2026
Publication Date: 1/14/2026
Citation: Vaishali, G., Nageswara Rao, M., Griffith, P., Tucker, D., Singh, S. 2026. Transcriptomic insights into salinity responses in Roystonea oleracea under freshwater and saline field conditions. International Journal of Plant Biology and Research. 10(1): 1113.

Interpretive Summary: The ornamental royal palm, Roystonea oleracea, was investigated to elucidate its molecular mechanisms of moderate salinity tolerance using RNA-sequencing of leaf tissues from plants grown in contrasting freshwater and saline field conditions. De novo assembly yielded a robust transcriptome of 237,451 unigenes (BUSCO: 98.2% completeness). Differential Gene Expression (DGE) analysis identified 1,045 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the saline condition. Study revealed that these salinity-responsive genes are predominantly involved in ion transport, oxidative stress management, osmolyte synthesis, and cell wall modification, providing critical transcriptome-level insights into how this non-model coastal species adapts to salt stress. This research not only establishes a foundational genomic resource for R. oleracea but also identifies promising genetic targets for developing salt-resistant palm varieties essential for future breeding and conservation strategies.

Technical Abstract: Roystonea oleracea (royal palm), a prominent ornamental species in coastal landscapes, exhibits moderate salinity tolerance, yet its molecular responses to salt stress remain underexplored. This study conducted RNA-seq analysis on leaf tissues from mature palms grown under relative freshwater and saltwater conditions at Montgomery Botanical Garden, Miami, to elucidate salinity-responsive mechanisms. De novo transcriptome assembly using Trinity yielded 237,451 unigenes with high completeness (BUSCO: 98.2% embryophyta_odb10). Differential gene expression (DGE) via DESeq2 identified 1,045 DEGs (|log2FC| =1, FDR =0.05), with 552 upregulated and 493 downregulated in freshwater relative to saltwater. GO enrichment highlighted stress response, osmotic adjustment, and metabolic regulation, while KEGG pathways revealed shifts in hormone signaling, nitrogen metabolism, and photosynthesis. Key salinity-responsive genes included heat shock proteins, ion transporters (e.g., KAT1, ATPase), transcription factors (e.g., NAC, WRKY, MYB), and ROS scavengers, suggesting multifaceted adaptations. Additionally, 77,868 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified, providing markers for breeding. These findings offer the first transcriptomic insights into R. oleracea salinity responses, informing strategies for enhancing coastal palm resilience amid changing conditions and rising sea levels.