Integrated Analysis of Physiological and Transcriptional Mechanisms in Response to Drought Stress in Scaevola taccada Seedlings

Scaevola taccada, as a key dominant plant in coastal ecosystems, plays an irreplaceable role in sand fixation, shoreline protection, and maintaining the ecological stability of coastal zones. To investigate the effects of drought stress on the Binghai plant Scaevola taccada seedlings, a natural drought treatment was applied. Physiological indicators were measured at 0, 10, 25, and 40 days of stress, and 5 days after rewatering. Transcriptome sequencing and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) analysis were also conducted to reveal the drought response mechanisms and molecular regulatory networks. The results showed that: (1) Prolonged drought significantly inhibited growth, with relative height increase, leaf number, and relative water content declining by 46.8%, 37.2%, and 63.4%, respectively, at T40 compared to the control. (2) In terms of photosynthetic physiology, Rubisco activity, RCA activity, SPAD value, Fv/Fm, and qP all continuously declined with increasing stress, while NPQ increased, suggesting damage to the photosynthetic system but also the activation of energy dissipation mechanisms to alleviate photooxidative stress. (3) The antioxidant system played a crucial role in the drought response. Under drought stress, the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, and MDA content, underwent significant changes, with antioxidant enzyme activities rebounding notably after rewatering. (4) Transcriptome analysis revealed that differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNA-targeted genes were significantly enriched in the ‘photosynthesis’ and ‘carbon metabolism’ pathways. Key genes involved, including PSAD-1, PSAL, NPQ4, six LHCs, BAM3, BAM1, SSII-A, and FRK1, were identified as core components of the regulatory network. In summary, Scaevola taccada effectively responds to drought stress through multi-level mechanisms, including photosynthetic regulation, carbon metabolism regulation, antioxidant defense, and transcriptional reprogramming, demonstrating strong drought resistance and post-rewatering recovery potential. These findings provide scientific evidence for plant selection and application in ecological restoration projects in coastal areas in the context of global climate extremes.