Several phytoremediation strategies have been undertaken to alleviate cadmium (Cd)-mediated injury to crop yield resulting from agricultural land pollution. In the present study, the potentially beneficial effect of melatonin (Me) was appraised. Therefore, chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe current research aimed to assess the protective role of nitric oxide (NO) against chromium (Cr) toxicity in maize seedlings. Chromium (200 µM) lowered osmotic potential in epicotyls and mostly in radicles (by 38% and 63%, respectively) as compared to the control. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, NO donor) restored seedling biomass (+90% for both organs) and water potential, whereas application of Nω-nitro-L-arginine methylester (-NAME, a NOS inhibitor) increased sensitivity to Cr.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the aim to estimate the protective role of calcium (Ca) and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) against cadmium (Cd)-induced damage, chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds were exposed to 200 μM Cd stress for 6 days or 3 days then subjected to co-treatment of the metal with either 100 mM CaCl or 100 μM EGTA for 3 additional days. The addition of Ca and EGTA improved seedling growth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study aims to analyse the potential crosstalk between nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (HS) in triggering resilience of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings to hexavalent chromium (Cr VI). Exogenous application of 500 μM sodium nitroprusside (SNP, as a NO donor) or sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, as a HS donor) to 9-day-old maize seedlings, countered a Cr (200 μM) -elicited reduction in embryonic axis biomass.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChromium (Cr) represents an important source of metallic stress in plants. Working with maize (Zea mays) seedlings, we characterize the suppressive effects of exogenously applied NaHS (a hydrogen sulfide; [HS] donor) on the toxic effects of Cr (VI). Heavy metal treatment reduced radicle and epicotyl lengths and fresh weights in seedlings at 6 and 9 days following germination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present work aims to provide insight on the role of phytohormone application in developing efficient practical defense strategies to improve plants tolerance under heavy metal contamination. For this purpose, pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds were germinated in an aqueous solution of 200μM CuCl up to the 3rd day and then continued to germinate in the presence of distilled water (stress cessation) or were subjected to following combinations: Cu+1μM IAA and Cu+1μM GA for 3 additional days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF