Melatonin Ameliorates Cadmium Toxicity in Tobacco Seedlings by Depriving Its Bioaccumulation, Enhancing Photosynthetic Activity and Antioxidant Gene Expression.

Soil remediation for cadmium (Cd) toxicity is essential for successful tobacco cultivation and production. Melatonin application can relieve heavy metal stress and promote plant growth; however, it remains somewhat unclear whether melatonin supplementation can remediate the effects of Cd toxicity on the growth and development of tobacco seedlings. Herein, we evaluated the effect of soil-applied melatonin on Cd accumulation in tobacco seedlings, as well as the responses in growth, physiological and biochemical parameters, and the expression of stress-responsive genes.