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- Title
Role of antioxidative defense system in amelioration of cadmium-induced phytotoxic effects in germinating seeds of maize (Zea mays).
- Authors
Abbas, Aamer; Ahmad, Muhammad Sajid Aqeel; Ashraf, Muhammad; Ali, Qasim; Alvi, Ambreen Khadija
- Abstract
Context: Anthropogenic activities are increasing Cd concentration in soil and environment that limits seed germination capacity and causes poor seedling establishment. Aims: The effect of different Cd concentrations on seed germination and seedling growth of two maize cultivars (C-20 and EV-1098) was tested in this study. Methods: Maize seeds were sown in Petri dishes lined with double filter paper. The seedlings were grown in a growth chamber, applied with different Cd concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 μM), and harvested 12 days after germination. Key results: Seeds applied with higher levels of Cd showed a significant decrease in seed germination percentage (GP), seed emergence index (EI) and germination energy (GE). A significant delay in seed germination was observed at the highest Cd treatment in terms of increased mean emergence time (MET), days to 50% germination (T 50) and coefficient of uniformity of emergence (CUE). A marked decline in leaf K, Ca, Na, and P was observed, whereas root K, Ca and P increased with an increase in external Cd concentration. The roots and leaves of maize C-20 showed greater activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) than did those of EV-1098. In contrast, peroxidase (POD) activity was reasonably high in roots and leaves, whereas catalase (CAT) was high only in roots of EV-1098. Non-enzymatic antioxidants such as phenolics and ascorbicacid (AsA) also significantly increased, accompanied with substantially lowermalondialdehyde (MDA) contents in the roots and leaves of EV-1098 than of C-20. Conclusions: The differential modulation of the activities of enzymatic and non-enzymaticanti-oxidative defense system in roots and leaves played a critical role intolerance of both cultivars to Cd stress. Implications: The findings of this study are helpful in improving seed germination capacity and seedling growth of maize in Cd contaminated soils. As compared with other biologically essential metals (Mn, Cu and Zn), Cd is not considered essential because its biological function is not reported in literature. It has a wide range of toxic effects on seed germination and other physiological and biochemical processes. In this study, the role of enzymatic antioxidative enzymes, malondialdehyde (MDA), ascorbic acid (AsA) and total phenols in ameliorating phytotoxic effects of cadmium was upraised in two most widely cultivated maize genotypes.
- Subjects
PHYTOTOXICITY; CORN seeds; CORN; GERMINATION; SEEDS; VITAMIN C; SUPEROXIDE dismutase
- Publication
Crop & Pasture Science, 2022, Vol 73, Issue 5, p599
- ISSN
1836-0947
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1071/CP21329