Present study showed the responses of pea seedlings to exogenous indole acetic acid (IAA; 10 and 100 µM) application under manganese (Mn; 50, 100 and 250 µM) toxicity. Manganese and 100 µM IAA alone as well as in combination decreased growth of pea seedlings compared to control. Moreover, some parameters of oxidative stress—hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were also increased by single and combined treatments of Mn and 100 µM IAA compared to control. In contrast, addition of 10 µM IAA together with Mn, alleviated Mn toxicity symptoms and promoted growth led to the decrease in H₂O₂ and MDA levels compared to Mn treatments alone. Under single and combined treatments of Mn and 100 µM IAA, catalase activity decreased while superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase activities increased and glutathione reductase and dehydroascorbate reductase exhibited differential responses. However, addition of 10 µM IAA together with Mn, increased activities of studied enzymatic antioxidants. Root and shoot reduced ascorbate (AA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) and, their reduced/oxidized ratios decreased while dehydroascorbate (DHA) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) contents increased compared to control following single and combined treatments of Mn and 100 µM IAA. However, supply of 10 µM IAA together with Mn, increased AA and GSH, and their reduced/oxidized ratios in root and shoot compared to Mn treatments alone. This study thus suggests that 10 µM of IAA was able to increase Mn tolerance in pea seedlings under Mn toxicity while opposite was noticed for 100 µM IAA.
In the present study, impact of low (UV-BL) and high (UV-BH) fluence rates of UV-B on growth, oxidative stress and antioxidant system was studied in two cyanobacteria i.e. Phormidium foveolarum and Nostoc muscorum under Cu (2 and 5 µM) toxicity after 24 and 72 h of experiments. UV-BH and Cu treatment decreased growth of both the cyanobacteria and Cu induced decrease in growth was accompanied by a significant increase in Cu accumulation. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), i.e. superoxide radicals (SOR; O₂⁻ ) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) were significantly increased by Cu and UV-BH exposure which in turn accelerated lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde: MDA) and protein oxidation (reactive carbonyl groups: RCG). Activities of enzymatic antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were increased by both doses of Cu as well as UV-B. Conversely, Cu and UV-BH drastically decreased catalase (CAT) activity. After the commencement of 24 h of treatment with Cu alone and together with UV-BH, non-protein thiols (NP-SH) contents were decreased while after 72 h, a reverse trend was noticed. Unlike NP-SH, cysteine content decreased appreciably during the treatments. In contrast to this, low dose (UV-BL) of UV-B did not influence growth, SOR, H₂O₂, MDA and RCG contents. An improvement in CAT activity and NP-SH content was observed under Cu and UV-BL treatment; hence, UV-BL treatment resulted into certain degree of protection against Cu toxicity in both the organisms. Thus, the results showed that UV-BH and UVBL exerted differential effects on both the organisms under Cu toxicity, and compared to N. muscorum, P. foveolarum was less affected by Cu and UV-BH.
Hydroponic experiments were conducted to investigate the role of exogenous silicon (Si) addition in increasing hexavalent chromium (Cr VI) tolerance in rice seedlings. Rice seedlings were grown under 100 µM Cr(VI) stress without or with 10 µM Si. Chromium treatment decreased growth, photosynthetic pigments and protein, which was accompanied by a significant increase in Cr accumulation and lipid peroxidation (as malondialdehyde; MDA). However, Si addition alleviated Cr toxicity and promoted growth of rice by decreasing Cr accumulation, root-to-shoot Cr transport and MDA level. Contents of macro (Mg, Ca and K) as well as micronutrients (Zn and Fe) were decreased by Cr except Mn while Si addition prevented decrease in these nutrients induced by Cr. Antioxidant capacity and total phenolic contents were decreased by Cr while these indices improved by Si addition. Treatment of Cr decreased the length of leaf epidermal cells and stomatal frequency, and adversely affected chloroplasts containing mesophyll cells and integrity of xylem and phloem, and Si addition minimized these abnormalities. However, frequency of root hairs was increased by Cr treatment. Results showed that exogenous Si addition enhanced Cr(VI) tolerance in rice seedlings by decreasing Cr accumulation, root-to-shoot Cr transport and MDA level, and by increasing content of some mineral elements (K, Fe and Zn) and antioxidant capacity compared to the Cr treatment alone.
Gladiolus flowers are ethylene insensitive and the signals that start catabolic changes during senescence of gladiolus flower are largely not known. Therefore, experiments were performed to understand the role of abscisic acid (ABA) in ethylene insensitive floral senescence in gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflora Hort.). It was observed that ABA accumulation increased in attached petals of gladiolus flowers as they senesced. Exogenous application of ABA in vase solution accelerated senescence process in the flowers due to change in various senescence indicators such as enhanced membrane leakage, reduced water uptake, reduced fresh weight and ultimately vase life. Enhancement of in vivo ABA level in petals by creating osmotic stress also upregulates the same parameters of flower senescence as those occurring during natural senescence and also akin to exogenous application of ABA. Attempts to increase vase life of flowers by application of putative ABA biosynthesis inhibitor fluridone in vase solution to counteract ABA effect were unsuccessful. In contrast, ABA action was mitigated by application of GA₃ in holding solution along with ABA which is basically an antagonist of ABA action. The present study provides valuable insights into the role of ABA as a hormonal trigger in ethylene insensitive senescence process and therefore would be helpful for dissecting the complex mechanism underlying ABA-regulated senescence process in gladiolus.
Effects of exogenous gibberellic acid (GA; 10 and 100 µM) application on growth, protein and nitrogen contents, ammonium (NH₄⁺) content, enzymes of nitrogen assimilation and antioxidant system in pea seedlings were investigated under chromium (VI) phytotoxicity (Cr VI; 50, 100 and 250 µM). Exposure of pea seedlings to Cr and 100 µM GA resulted in decreased seed germination, fresh and dry weight and length of root and shoot, and protein and nitrogen contents compared to control. Compared to control, Cr and 100 µM GA led to the significant alteration in nitrogen assimilation in pea. These treatments decreased root and shoot nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamine 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GOGAT) activities (except 50 µM Cr alone for GOGAT) while glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity and NH₄⁺ content increased. Compared to control, the root and shoot activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) increased (except APX activity at 250 µM Cr + 100 µM GA) while catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) activities were decreased (except GR at 100 µM GA alone) following exposure of Cr and 100 µM GA. Total ascorbate and total glutathione in root and shoot decreased by the treatments of Cr and 100 µM GA while their levels were increased by the application of 10 µMGA compared to Cr treatments alone. It has been reported that application of 10 µM GA together with Cr alleviated inhibited levels of growth, nitrogen assimilation and antioxidant system compared to Cr treatments alone. This study showed that application of 10 µM GA counteracts some of the adverse effects of Cr phytotoxicity with the increased levels of antioxidants and sustained activities of enzymes of nitrogen assimilation; however, 100 µM GA showed apparently reverse effect under Cr phytotoxicity.
The extent of mercury (Hg) toxicity in the heterocystous cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum grown for 72 h in three different light intensities was tested for various physiological parameters viz. growth, pigment contents, photosynthesis, respiration, reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde formation and antioxidants. A general reduction in growth and pigments, whole cell O₂- evolution, photosynthetic electron transport activities and ¹⁴CO₂-fixation was observed in a metal concentration–dependent manner, and this effect was more pronounced in high light (130 µmol photon m⁻² s⁻¹)–exposed cells as compared to low (10 µmol photon m⁻² s⁻¹) and normal (70 µmol photon m⁻² s⁻¹) light intensity–exposed cells; however, carotenoids and respiration showed reverse trend. Among photosynthetic electron transport activities, whole chain activity was found to be most sensitive in comparison with photosystem II (PS II) and photosystem I (PS I). Comparing the different photosynthetic processes, ¹⁴CO₂-fixation was most affected in cyanobacterial cells when exposed to Hg and different light intensities. After application of various exogenous electron donors, diphenyl carbazide was found to be more effective to restore PS II activity, suggesting that site of damage lies in between oxygen evolving complex and PS II. Level of oxidative stress (superoxide radical and lipid peroxidation) was maximum at 3.0 µM of Hg when coupled with high light intensity (except hydrogen peroxide). A dose-dependent increase in enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase as well as non-enzymatic antioxidants such as proline, ascorbate, cysteine (except under high light intensity) and non-protein thiols [NP-SH] was observed, which further increased with the increase in light intensity. It was noticed that Hg intoxicates N. muscorum through ROS production, which is aggravated along with the increase in light intensity. Overall results suggest that the severity of the metal stress does increase with Hg concentrations but when coupled with light, it was the light intensity that determines the extent of Hg toxicity.
Terminal heat stress is one of the limiting factors in wheat production and it is expected to rise under present scenario of climate change. The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of 40 wheat genotypes under terminal heat stress conditions based on eight physiological traits. The plants were sown late (i.e. on 5th January) to expose them terminal heat stress. The genotypes were evaluated using multivariate analysis viz. Ward’s method of hierarchical clusters analysis, discriminant analysis and principle component analysis. The genotypes were categorized into three groups namely tolerant, intermediate and sensitive. Tolerant genotypes like DBW 14, RAJ 3765, HD 2643 and HALNA performed physiologically better in terms of higher membrane stability index (MSI), chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate (Pn), harvest index under heat stress conditions. Genotypes HD 2987, SHANGHAI, HD 2402 and WH 730 were found to be heat sensitive. Physiological traits like MSI, SPAD value, Fv/Fm ratio and Pn were found to be most important contributor in grouping of genotypes and showed positive correlations (r) of 0.73, 0.47, 0.41 and 0.39 with grain yield, respectively, which is significant at p<0.05. The large genetic diversity was found among the genotypes based on physiological traits. These genotypes can be utilized in wheat improvement programme for heat tolerance.
The alkaloids dehydrocorydalmine and oxyberberine isolated from Argemone mexicana were assessed against spore germination of some fungi, e.g., Alternaria cajani, Bipolaris sp., Helminthosporium sp., Fusarium udum and Curvularia sp. While dehydrocorydalmine inhibited 100% spore germination of the fungi Helminthosporium sp. and Curvularia sp. at 5 000 ppm, oxyberberine showed similar activity against spore germination of Bipolaris sp. and Curvularia sp. All the five fungi were significantly inhibited at 1 000 to 5 000 ppm concentrations.
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