We investigated whether sound waves could improve salt tolerance in rice seedling. The rice seedlings were sound treated with 800 Hz for 1hr, and then treated with 0, 75, 150, and 225mM NaCl for 3 days to observe changes in physiological and morphological aspects. Sound treatment seedlings resulted in enhanced salt stress tolerance, mainly demonstrated by the sound treated seedlings exhibiting of increased root relative water contents (RWC), root length and weight, photochemical efficiency (ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence, Fv/Fm), and germination rate under salt stress condition. This demonstrates that a specific sound wave might be used, not only to alter gene expression in plant, but also to improve salt stress tolerance. In order to test the sound’s effect on plant and its contribution in drought tolerance, plants were subjected to various sound frequencies for an hrs. After 24-hrs sound treatment, plants were exposed to drought for next five days. During the experiment it was observed that sound initiated physiological changes showing tolerance in plant. Sound frequency with ≥ 0.8 kHz enhanced relative water content, stomatal conductance and quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm ratio) in drought stress environment. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production in sound treated plantwasdeclinedcomparedtocontrol. ThermaCAM (Infra-red camera) a software which was used to analyze the plant images temperature showed that sound treated plant and leaf had less temperature (heat) compared to control. The physiological mechanism of sound frequencies induce tolerance in rice plants are discussed.

Sound and communication through it have significantly contributed to study the ecology, evolution, behavior in animal. Plants may also use sound, but until now, we have been unable to effectively research what the ecological, evolutionary and molecular implications might be in plant. So, we wonder what genes are regulated under sound wave conditions. In particular, our research was centered to increase functional materials including vitamins and anthocyanin in plants. First, we investigated up- and down-regulated genes under sound wave treatments (250, 500, 800, 1000 and 1500Hz) by RNA-seq in Arabidopsis thaliana. In these results, we selected genes of over 8-fold increase and below 8-fold decrease and especially, focus on vitamin and anthocyanin-related genes in RNA-seq level. Second, we confirmed that these up- and down-regulated genes under sound wave treatments by qRT-PCR. Finally, we selected 13 interesting genes. To confirm these results, now, we are performing promoter assay by using promoter-GUS in plant and by using promoter-luciferase in protoplast. After then, we will find to interacting partners of these genes in sound wave signal. Our final goal is understand signaling network under sound wave treatment condition in plant. We hope that if we do find results that suggest that sound wave have a beneficial effect on crop yield and quality, acoustic biology can then have some viable application in agriculture. This could bring new discoveries into development of farming methods.