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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2020

Effect of Cadmium Toxicity on Growth, Oxidative Damage, Antioxidant Defense System and Cadmium Accumulation in Two Sorghum Cultivars

Jawad Hassan, Muhammad; Ali Raza, Muhammad; Ur Rehman, Sana; Ansar, Muhammad; Gitari, Harun; Khan, Imran; Wajid, Muhammad; Ahmed, Mukhtar; Abbas Shah, Ghulam; Peng, Yan; Li, Zhou

Abstract

Heavy metal stress is a leading environmental issue reducing crop growth and productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid agro-ecological zones. Cadmium (Cd), a non-redox heavy metal, can indirectly increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inducing cell death. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different concentrations of Cd (0, 5, 25, 50, 100 mu M) on physiological and biochemical parameters in two sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) cultivars: JS-2002 and Chakwal Sorghum. The results showed that various concentrations of Cd significantly increased the Cd uptake in both cultivars; however, the uptake was higher in JS-2002 compared to Chakwal Sorghum in leaf, stem and root. Regardless of the cultivars, there was a higher accumulation of the Cd in roots than in shoots. The Cd stress significantly reduced the growth and increased the electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in both cultivars, but the Chakwal Sorghum showed more pronounced oxidative damage than the JS-2002, as reflected by higher H2O2, MDA and EL. Moreover, Cd stress, particularly 50 mu M and 100 mu M, decreased the activity of different antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). However, the JS-2002 exhibited higher SOD, POD and CAT activities than the Chakwal Sorghum under different Cd-levels. These findings revealed that JS-2002 had a stronger Cd enrichment capacity and also exhibited a better tolerance to Cd stress due to its efficient antioxidant defense system than Chakwal Sorghum. The present study provides the available information about Cd enrichment and tolerance in S. bicolor, which is used as an important agricultural crop for livestock feed in arid and semi-arid regions.

Keywords

Cadmium; heavy metal; food security; oxidative damage; antioxidants

Published in

Plants
2020, Volume: 9, number: 11, article number: 1575
Publisher: MDPI

      SLU Authors

    • Ahmed, Mukhtar

      • Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
      • Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University

    Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG2 Zero hunger

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Agricultural Science

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9111575

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/109423