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Alleviation of cadmium toxicity by cerium in rice seedlings is related to improved photosynthesis, elevated antioxidant enzymes and decreased oxidative stress

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Abstract

Cadmium contamination is a critical constraint to plant production in agricultural soils in some regions. Cerium is one of the rare earth elements, it plays a positive role in plant growth with a appropriate content. The present study was conducted to examine the role of cerium nutrition in the amelioration of effects on cadmium toxicity in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings by a hydroponic experiment. Measurements included growth condition, photosynthesis related parameters, chloroplast ultra-structure and antioxidant enzymes content. Our results showed that the growth of rice seedlings was markedly inhibited by cadmium (100 μM), and the inhibition was significantly alleviated by cerium (10 μM). Fresh weight, single seedling height and chlorophyll content of rice plants in cerium treated groups were increased by 24.4, 18.2 and 32.05 % compared to those of plants cultivated in only cadmium-present condition. Additionally, in cadmium treated plants, the addition of cerium significantly increased the value of the maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry (F v /F m ), indicator of PSII ‘structure and functioning’ (SFI ABS ) and the performance index on absorption basis (PI ABS ), elevated the activity of whole chain electron transport activity, enhanced photophosphorylation and its coupling factor Ca2+-ATPase activities. The result showed that the chloroplasts and thylakoid membrane of the rice seedlings leaves grown in cerium treatment developed better than that in cerium-absent group under cadmium toxicity. Moreover, addition with 10 μM cerium mitigated cadmium stress by inducing leaf enzyme activities for antioxidation like superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase, dramatically depressed superoxide (O ·−2 ), hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde accumulation. Results indicated that alleviation of cadmium toxicity by cerium application is partly related to improved light-use-efficiency, increased antioxidant enzymes, decreased oxidative stress in rice seedlings.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31271621), the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD) and NSFC for Talents Training in Basic Science (J1103507, J1210025).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Life Sciences College, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Min Wu, Ping-Yang Wang, Lin-Gang Sun, Jing-Jing Zhang, Jing Yu, Yu-Wen Wang & Guo-Xiang Chen

  2. Zijin College, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Min Wu

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  1. Min Wu
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  2. Ping-Yang Wang
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  3. Lin-Gang Sun
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Correspondence to Guo-Xiang Chen.

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Wu, M., Wang, PY., Sun, LG. et al. Alleviation of cadmium toxicity by cerium in rice seedlings is related to improved photosynthesis, elevated antioxidant enzymes and decreased oxidative stress. Plant Growth Regul 74, 251–260 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-014-9916-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-014-9916-x

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