Panchagavya compound improves salinity tolerance in rice seedlings

A laboratory study combining chemical analysis, computational modelling and plant experiments found that 1-methyl palmitate isolated from the Panchagavya biostimulant enhanced salinity-stress tolerance in rice seedlings. Researchers reported changes in autophagy and programmed cell death pathways, together with increased expression of antioxidant-related genes, autophagy-related genes and transcription factors. The findings identify a defined molecular candidate through which at least part of the traditional formulation’s stress-response activity may be mediated.

Panchagavya, or PG, is a traditional bioorganic formulation used as a biostimulant in agricultural and veterinary applications. It is associated with plant growth and development, soil fertility, nutrient uptake and responses to environmental cues, but the identities of the bioactive compounds responsible for these reported effects have remained insufficiently resolved. The study therefore focused on standardized isolation and identification of PG constituents, providing a chemically defined set of candidates for further investigation.

The researchers used column chromatography to isolate four pure compounds from PG. They characterized the substances through electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. In silico modelling and molecular docking were then used to examine interactions between the four compounds and eight rice autophagy proteins. The models indicated strong binding affinities for all four compounds, while 1-methyl palmitate produced the most promising interaction and was selected for biological evaluation in rice.

Rice seedlings exposed to saline conditions were assessed through biochemical, cellular and molecular analyses. According to the researchers, 1-methyl palmitate enhanced tolerance to salinity by positively regulating autophagy and programmed cell death, cellular processes that contribute to maintaining cellular balance under stress. The treatment was accompanied by significant upregulation of antioxidant genes, autophagy-related genes and transcription factors. These measured molecular responses were consistent with the reported improvement in the seedlings’ ability to cope with salt stress.

The results provide a mechanistic lead for studying how a constituent of Panchagavya may support plant stress tolerance. The authors connect the chemical profiling and seedling experiments to the formulation’s broader biostimulant role and to possible implications for fertilizer efficiency and sustainable food production. At the same time, the reported evidence concerns a selected compound tested in a controlled rice-seedling system, while the computational results describe predicted interactions with eight proteins. The study therefore establishes a testable candidate and a set of associated molecular responses rather than a complete account of how the full formulation acts in rice.

Subject of Research: Chemical isolation and evaluation of a Panchagavya compound associated with improved salinity tolerance in rice seedlings

Article Title: Chemical profiling and identification of bioactive compounds from biostimulant enhancing salinity tolerance in rice

Article References: Khan, M. S., & Hemalatha, S. (2026). Chemical profiling and identification of bioactive compounds from biostimulant enhancing salinity tolerance in rice. Discover Sustainability, 7(1), Article 1581. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01802-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43621-025-01802-9

Keywords: rice seedlings, salinity stress, Panchagavya, 1-methyl palmitate, autophagy, programmed cell death, antioxidant genes, molecular docking, plant biostimulants, Chemical, profiling, identification