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Silicon (Si) alleviates cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) from zinc (Zn) toxicity stress by limiting Zn uptake and oxidative damage

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Abstract

Silicon (Si) is as an important fertilizer element, which has been found effective in enhancing plant tolerance to variety of biotic and a-biotic stresses. This study investigates the Si potential to alleviate zinc (Zn) toxicity stress in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Cotton plants were grown in hydroponics and exposed to different Zn concentration, 0, 25, and 50 μM, alone and/or in combination with 1 mM Si. Incremental Zn concentration in growth media instigated the cellular oxidative damage that was evident from elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and consequently inhibited cotton growth, biomass, chlorophyll pigments, and photosynthetic process. Application of Si significantly suppressed Zn accumulation in various plant parts, i.e., roots, stems, and leaves and thus promoted biomass, photosynthetic, growth parameters, and antioxidant enzymes activity of Zn-stressed as well unstressed plants. In addition, Si reduced the MDA and H2O2 production and electrolyte leakage suggesting its role in protecting cotton plants from Zn toxicity-induced oxidative damage. Thus, the study indicated that exogenous Si application could improve growth and development of cotton crop experiencing Zn toxicity stress by limiting Zn bioavailability and oxidative damage.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan for the financial support. The results presented in this paper are a part of M. Phil studies of Shad Ali Anwaar.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University, Allama Iqbal Road, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Shad Ali Anwaar, Shafaqat Ali, Skhawat Ali, Mujahid Farid & Farhat Abbas

  2. Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), P.O. Box 128, Jhang Road, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Wajid Ishaque

  3. Institute of Crop Science and Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Muhammad Ahsan Farooq

  4. Department of Plant and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Sydney, Eveleigh, NSW, 2015, Australia

    Ullah Najeeb

  5. Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Muhammad Sharif

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  1. Shad Ali Anwaar
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  2. Shafaqat Ali
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Correspondence to Shafaqat Ali.

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Anwaar, S.A., Ali, S., Ali, S. et al. Silicon (Si) alleviates cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) from zinc (Zn) toxicity stress by limiting Zn uptake and oxidative damage. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 3441–3450 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3938-9

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