Abstract
The accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in edible plant parts and fertile lands is a worldwide problem. It negatively influences the growth and productivity of leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach, Spinacia oleracea L.), which have a high tendency to radially accumulate Cd. The present study investigated the influences of peptone application on the growth, biomass, chlorophyll content, gas exchange parameters, antioxidant enzymes activity, and Cd content of spinach plants grown under Cd stress. Cd toxicity negatively affected spinach growth, biomass, chlorophyll content, and gas exchange attributes. However, it increased malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), electrolyte leakage (EL), proline accumulation, ascorbic acid content, Cd content, and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) in spinach plants. The exogenous foliar application of peptone increased the growth, biomass, chlorophyll content, proline accumulation, and gas exchange attributes of spinach plants. Furthermore, the application of peptone decreased Cd uptake and levels of MDA, H2O2, and EL in spinach by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. This enhancement in plant growth and photosynthesis might be due to the lower level of Cd accumulation, which in turn decreased the negative impacts of oxidative stress in plant tissues. Taken together, the findings of the study revealed that peptone is a promising plant growth regulator that represents an efficient approach for the phytoremediation of Cd-polluted soils and enhancement of spinach growth, yield, and tolerance under a Cd-dominant environment.
Highlights
Cadmium (Cd) is a very toxic element and has a high mobility rate from the soil to plants
The results indicated that the foliar application of peptone exhibited positive effects on plant growth and morphology
Application of 500 mgL−1 of peptone significantly increased the leaf fresh weight at 11%, 13%, and 24% under Cd stress of 0, 50, and 100 μM, respectively, as compared to control (Figure 1A)
Summary
Cadmium (Cd) is a very toxic element and has a high mobility rate from the soil to plants. Plants 2020, 9, 1806 of crops, resulting in the accumulation of higher concentrations of Cd in the soil. With increasing the intracellular Cd concentrations, various plant metabolic processes, including cell division, mineral nutrition, nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis, and respiration, are severely affected [5]. Cd decreases the uptake of micro- and macro-nutrients, which in turn affects the plant transport activities [7]. It affects nitrate absorption and its translocation from plant roots to shoots via inhibiting nitrate reductase. It alters the composition of lipids and causes changes in the membrane functionality. The radial absorption capability of Cd by plant roots and its translocation toward the aerial parts make it of great concern regarding its accumulation in the food chain [9]
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