Biomolecules (Dec 2020)

Role of Ferrous Sulfate (FeSO<sub>4</sub>) in Resistance to Cadmium Stress in Two Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Genotypes

  • Javaria Afzal,
  • Muhammad Hamzah Saleem,
  • Fatima Batool,
  • Ali Mohamed Elyamine,
  • Muhammad Shoaib Rana,
  • Asma Shaheen,
  • Mohamed A. El-Esawi,
  • Muhammad Tariq Javed,
  • Qasim Ali,
  • Muhammad Arslan Ashraf,
  • Ghulam Sabir Hussain,
  • Chengxiao Hu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10121693
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 12
p. 1693

Abstract

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The impact of heavy metal, i.e., cadmium (Cd), on the growth, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange characteristics, oxidative stress biomarkers, and antioxidants machinery (enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants), ions uptake, organic acids exudation, and ultra-structure of membranous bounded organelles of two rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes (Shan 63 and Lu 9803) were investigated with and without the exogenous application of ferrous sulfate (FeSO4). Two O. sativa genotypes were grown under different levels of CdCl2 [0 (no Cd), 50 and 100 µM] and then treated with exogenously supplemented ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) [0 (no Fe), 50 and 100 µM] for 21 days. The results revealed that Cd stress significantly (p 2O2) initiation, and electrolyte leakage (%), which was also manifested by increasing the enzymatic antioxidants, i.e., superoxidase dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds (phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and anthocyanin) and organic acids exudation pattern in both O. sativa genotypes. At the same time, the results also elucidated that the O. sativa genotypes Lu 9803 are more tolerant to Cd stress than Shan 63. Although, results also illustrated that the exogenous application of ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) also decreased Cd toxicity in both O. sativa genotypes by increasing antioxidant capacity and thus improved the plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange characteristics, and decrease oxidative stress in the roots and shoots of O. sativa genotypes. Here, we conclude that the exogenous supplementation of FeSO4 under short-term exposure of Cd stress significantly improved plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange characteristics, regulate antioxidant defense system, and essential nutrients uptake and maintained the ultra-structure of membranous bounded organelles in O. sativa genotypes.

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