Impact of Cadmium Stress on Growth and Physio-Biochemical Attributes of <i>Eruca sativa</i> Mill
Abdul Waheed,
Yakupjan Haxim,
Waqar Islam,
Mushtaq Ahmad,
Sajjad Ali,
Xuejing Wen,
Khalid Ali Khan,
Hamed A. Ghramh,
Zhuqi Zhang,
Daoyuan Zhang
Affiliations
Abdul Waheed
National Key Laboratory of Ecological Security and Resource Utilization in Arid Areas, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
Yakupjan Haxim
National Key Laboratory of Ecological Security and Resource Utilization in Arid Areas, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
Waqar Islam
Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Plant Gene Resources, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
Mushtaq Ahmad
Department of Zoology, Islamia College University, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan
Sajjad Ali
Department of Botany, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda 24461, Pakistan
Xuejing Wen
National Key Laboratory of Ecological Security and Resource Utilization in Arid Areas, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
Khalid Ali Khan
Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
Hamed A. Ghramh
Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
Zhuqi Zhang
Binzhou Vocational College, Binzhou 256603, China
Daoyuan Zhang
National Key Laboratory of Ecological Security and Resource Utilization in Arid Areas, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
Plants may experience adverse effects from Cadmium (Cd). As a result of its toxicity and mobility within the soil-plant continuum, it is attracting the attention of soil scientists and plant nutritionists. In this study, we subjected young Eruca sativa Mill. seedlings to different levels of Cd applications (0, 1.5, 6 and 30 µmol/L) via pot experiment to explore its morpho-physio-biochemical adaptations. Our results revealed a significant Cd accumulation in leaves at high Cd stress. It was also demonstrated that Cd stress inhibited photosynthetic rate and pigment levels, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activities, and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Conversely, the concentration of total ascorbate (TAS) increased at all levels of Cd application, whereas that of ascorbic acid (ASA), and dehydroascorbate (DHA) increased at 1.5 (non-significant), 6, 30 and 6 µmol/L (significant), though their concentrations decreased non-significantly at 30 µmol/L application. In conclusion, Cd-subjected E. sativa seedlings diverted much energy from growth towards the synthesis of anti-oxidant metabolites and osmolytes. However, they did not seem to have protected the E. sativa seedlings from Cd-induced oxidative stress, causing a decrease in osmotic adjustment, and an increase in oxidative damage, which resulted in a reduction in photosynthesis and growth. Accordingly, we recommend that the cultivation of E. sativa should be avoided on soil with Cd contamination.
