PJB-2019-830
3-EPIBRASSINOLIDE TRIGGERS CADMIUM STRESS MITIGATION IN CUCUMIS SATIVUS: MODULATION OF ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEM AND GENE EXPRESSION
Anis Ali Shah
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) level is continuously increasing in agricultural soils mainly through anthropogenic activities. Cadmium is one of the most phytotoxic metals in soils. The present study investigates the possible role of 3-epibrassinolide (3-EBL) in alleviating Cd-toxicity in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants. C. sativus seeds primed with 1, 5, 10 µM of 3-EBL were grown in Cd spiked petri dishes for 10 d. The Cd-driven stress exhibited injurious effects on growth parameters of C. sativus seedlings. The oxidative stress caused due to overproduction of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) severely affected morphology besides gas exchange parameters, leaf relative water content (LRWC) and photosynthetic pigments in C. sativus seedlings under cadmium stress. Nevertheless, 3-EBL treatment reduced detrimental effects of Cd-induced toxicity on plant growth attributes. Stress alleviation effect of 3-EBL was more prominent at 5 µM than at 1 and 10 µM. The reduced Cd contents in cucumber foliage signposted the pragmatic engrossment of 3-EBL in Cd translocation. The exogenous application of 3-EBL alleviated Cd stress and improved shoot length and biomass production of cucumber plants. Alternatively, 3-EBL supplementation triggered reduction in MDA and ROS. Furthermore, 3-EBL modulated the expression level of genes including ethylene receptor CS-ERS, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase2 (CsAOX), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase1 (CSACO1) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase2 (CSACO2). Altogether, these physiological vicissitudes advocate that 3-EBL augmented antioxidative capability contributes in the advancement of Cd tolerance in cucumber seedlings.
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