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Effect of hydrogen peroxide on seedling growth and antioxidants in two wheat cultivars

  • Published:
Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate seed germination, seedling growth, and antioxidative responses in two wheat cultivars, Ningchun and Xihan, exposed to different H2O2 concentrations. Ningchun exhibited higher germination rate but lower root and shoot growth than Xihan when exposed to H2O2 treatment. Assays using fluorescent dye H2DCFDA and propidium iodide showed a significantly enhanced H2O2 content and a cell elongation inhibition in H2O2-treated roots. The malondialdehyde content was elevated with increasing exogenous H2O2 concentration. Moreover, treatments of seedlings with H2O2 scavenger, catalase (CAT), and antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene, partly abolished H2O2-induced negative effect on root growth. In both untreated and H2O2-treated leaves, SOD activity in Ningchun was higher than that in Xihan, but POD and APX activities in Ningchun were lower than those in Xihan, leading to elevated H2O2 level in Ningchun leaves but decreased H2O2 content in Xihan ones under H2O2 treatment.

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Abbreviations

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

ASA:

ascorbate

BHT:

butylated hydroxytoluene

CAT:

catalase

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

GR:

glutathione reductase

H2DCFDA:

2’,7’-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate

MDA:

malondialdehyde

NBT:

nitroblue tetrazolium

PI:

propidium iodide

POD:

peroxidase

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, P.R. China

    J. Lu, X.N. Li, Y.L. Yang, L.Y. Jia, J. You & W.R. Wang

  2. Ningbo College of Health Sciences, Ningbo, 315100, P.R. China

    J. Lu

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  1. J. Lu
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  2. X.N. Li
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  3. Y.L. Yang
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  4. L.Y. Jia
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  5. J. You
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  6. W.R. Wang
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Correspondence to Y.L. Yang.

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Acknowledgement

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31160088) and Program for New Century Excellent Talents at University of China.

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Lu, J., Li, X., Yang, Y. et al. Effect of hydrogen peroxide on seedling growth and antioxidants in two wheat cultivars. Biol Plant 57, 487–494 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-013-0312-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-013-0312-6

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