Abstract
A pot experiment treated with cadmium (Cd) was conducted to evaluate the physiological and yield responses of peanut to cadmium in different growth stages. The results indicated that the peanut treated with cadmium level of 12 mg/kg did not cause obvious visible toxic symptoms, while the antioxidant enzymes activities concluding superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) showed significant decrease in tested growth stages. The content of total chlorophyll decreased significantly in the growth stages (P < 0.05). The results indicated that Cd destroyed the balance of free radical metabolisms, which resulted in increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the relative cell membrane permeability (RMP). The kernel yield and kernel rate per pot showed significant decrease under cadmium stress (P < 0.05). The varieties FengHua3, HuaYu20 and Luhua 12 showed more sensitive than the other varieties. The results indicated that the MDA, total chlorophyll content and RMP may be more sensitive or indicative than the others under Cadmium stress. Key words: Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), cadmium, phytotoxicity, physiological mechanism.  
Highlights
Of all the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and a non-essential element that is present in the soil naturally and from anthropogenic sources, including atmospheric deposition, application of sewage sludge and manures, irrigation water, and in fertilizers and soil amendments (Mclaughlin et al, 2000; Sanità di Toppi and Gabbrielli, 1999)
In the pod-setting stage, the decrease rate of total chlorophyll content under cadmium stress showed no difference among varieties, about decreasing to 75%
The peanut treated with cadmium level of 12 mg/kg did not cause obvious visible toxic symptoms, while the physiological and yield responses indicated that
Summary
Of all the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and a non-essential element that is present in the soil naturally and from anthropogenic sources, including atmospheric deposition, application of sewage sludge and manures, irrigation water, and in fertilizers and soil amendments (Mclaughlin et al, 2000; Sanità di Toppi and Gabbrielli, 1999). It has been demonstrated that Cd induces the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage biological molecules (DNA, RNA and proteins) and membranes by inducing lipid peroxidation and stimulate chlorophyll degradation (Unyayar et al, 2006). Protective enzymes include catalase (CAT, E.C. 1.11.1.6), peroxidases (POD, E.C.1.11.1.7), and superoxide dismutase (SOD, E.C. 1.15.1.1), while several molecules such as glutathione, ascorbate and carotenoids provide non-enzymatic protection (Kuo and Kao, 2004; Lombardi and Sebastiani, 2005).
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