LAUSR

Main conclusion HRW increased the content of starch and sucrose via regulating a series of sucrose and starch synthesis genes, which induced the formation of bulblets and adventitious roots of Lilium davidii var. unicolor. Abstract Hydrogen gas (H2), as a signaling molecule, has been reported to be involved in plant growth and development. Here, the effect of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on the formation of bulblets and adventitious roots in the scale cuttings of Lilium davidii var. unicolor and its mechanisms at the molecular levels were investigated. The results revealed that compared with distilled water treatment (Con), the number of bulblets and adventitious roots were significantly promoted by different concentrations of HRW treatment. Treatment with 100% HRW obtained the most positive effects. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis found that compared with Con, a total of 1702 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, upregulated 552 DEGs, downregulated 1150 DEGs) were obtained under HRW treatment. The sucrose and starch metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism were significantly enriched in the analysis of the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG). In addition, the genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism were significantly upregulated or downregulated (upregulated 22 DEGs, downregulated 15 DEGs), indicating that starch and sucrose metabolism held a central position. The expressions of 12 DEGs were identified as coding for key enzymes in metabolism of carbohydrates was validated by qPCR during bulblet formation progress. RNA-seq analysis and expression profiles indicated that the unigene levels such as glgc, Susy, otsA and glgP, BMY and TPS were well correlated with sucrose and starch metabolism during HRW-induced bulblet formation. The change of key enzyme content in starch and sucrose metabolism pathway was explored during bulblet formation in Lilium under HRW treatment. Meanwhile, compared with Con, 100% HRW treatment increased the levels of sucrose and starch, and decreased the trehalose content, which were agreed with the expression pattern of DEGs related to the biosynthesis pathway of sucrose, starch and trehalose. Therefore, this study suggested that HRW could promote the accumulation of sucrose and starch contents in mother scales, and decreased the trehalose content, this might provide more energy for bulblet formation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00425-021-03762-6.