Abstract
The role of exogenously-applied polyamines [i.e., spermine (Spm), spermidine (Spd) and putrescine (Put)] in the improvement of cadmium (Cd2+) tolerance in wheat plants, and their effects on growth, yield and its components and changes in the osmoprotectant and endogenous Cd2+ concentrations and the contents of some nutrients in plants grown under 2.0 mM Cd2+ stress were assessed. The efficiency of wheat plants to tolerate Cd2+ stress in terms of growth and yield characteristics was noticed to varying degrees with the three applied polyamines. The reasonable growth of Cd2+-stressed seedlings and consequently acceptable grain yield was correlated with the improvements in the concentrations of osmoprotectants and tissue health in terms of relative water content (RWC) and membrane stability index (MSI), and reductions in electrolyte leakage (EL) and tissue Cd2+ concentration. Results show that, seed soaking in 0.25 mM Spm, 0.50 mM Spd or 1.0 mM Put generated significant better growth and yield characteristics, MSI, RWC, leaf photosynthetic pigment and osmoprotectant concentrations, and nutrient contents than seed soaking with water under 2.0 mM Cd2+ stress. In contrast, the Cd2+ concentration and EL were significantly reduced. However, the Cd2+-free control was the best treatment when compared to the all other stressed treatments. Seed soaking in 1.0 mM Put was the best, generating wheat plants that most tolerant to Cd2+ stress than those generated from the other two polyamines. Therefore, this study recommend to use the 1.0 mM Put, as seed soaking treatment for wheat to grow well under Cd2+ stress.
Highlights
Worldwide, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal crops used principally as human food
The Put was observed to be the best pretreatment, alleviating the deleterious effects of Cd2+ stress and significantly increased these growth traits compared to Cd2+-stressed plants
Wheat plant growth reduction was associated with Cd2+-induced increase in endogenous Cd2+ ion concentration (Table 5), reduction in leaf photosynthetic pigments and loss in plant tissue health in terms of decreases in relative water content (RWC) and membrane stability index (MSI), and increase in electrolyte leakage (EL; Table 4)
Summary
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal crops used principally as human food. Cadmium is not an essential nutrient and it is one of the heavy metals that are known to generate toxicity even at a very low concentration It accumulates in plants during growth in edible parts, Mostafa Mohamed Rady et al.: Response of Triticum aestivum (L.) Plants Grown Under Cadmium Stress to Polyamines Pretreatments thereby, endangering crop yields and their qualities, causing a potential hazard to human and animal health. With no biological function but extremely toxic, soil Cd2+ pollution can result in various problems Such problems are inhibition of plant growth, photosynthesis and ATPase of plasma membrane, retardation of chlorophyll biosynthesis, reduction of nutrient uptake, alteration of water balance and ion homeostasis, reduction of various enzymes activities and stimulation of stomatal closure. These problems cause poor quality of products, loss of yield, and metal toxicity to animals and humans [7,8,9,10]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
