Composite functional solution alleviates salt stress in rice

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important staple crops worldwide; however, salt stress significantly limits its growth and productivity. This study systematically investigates the growth-protective mechanisms of Compound Functional Liquid (CFL) CFL in alleviating salt stress during the seedling stage of rice. To explore the molecular mechanisms, 128 DEGs exhibiting continuous changes across various stress periods were identified through transcriptome sequencing.KEGG analysis demonstrated significant enrichment in pathways related to plant hormone signal transduction and peroxisome function.WGCNA identified key modules (yellow-green, cyan, green, and red) associated with salt stress, and GO analysis indicated involvement in fatty acid metabolism, carbon metabolism, plant hormone signaling, and photosynthesis. RLK and MYB transcription factors were identified for each stage. This study elucidates how CFL enhances rice salt tolerance through multi-layered and multi-pathway mechanisms under salt stress.