Molecular Response Mechanism of Potato Seedling Leaves under Nicotine Stress: Integration of Multiomics and Molecular Simulation Analysis

Tobacco cultivation causes substantial nicotine pollution in soil, posing potential food safety and environmental risks. Potato is a major crop cultivated immediately following tobacco harvest, the dose-effect relationship and molecular mechanisms of nicotine stress on potatoes remain poorly understood. This study explored the stress responses of potato seedlings to nicotine using physiological assays, multiomics analyses, and molecular docking. The results showed that a low level of nicotine (0.5 mg/kg) promoted chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis, and starch-sucrose accumulation, thus stimulating seedling growth. Conversely, a high level of nicotine (50 mg/kg) inhibited these processes but activated antioxidant enzymes and lignin synthesis. Molecular docking indicated that nicotine may bind key enzymes and disrupt metabolic homeostasis. These results reveal the molecular mechanisms of potato responses to nicotine stress, supporting food safety in nicotine-contaminated farmland.