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Stress Protective Effect of Rhododendron arboreum Leaves (MEL) on Chromium-Treated Vigna radiata Plants

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Abstract

Oxidative stress due to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in Vigna radiata seedlings, and stress amelioration with treatment of methanol extract of Rhododendron arboreum leaves was observed in the present study by analyzing growth parameters, stomatal morphology, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, histological analysis, pigment contents, Cr metal uptake, elemental analysis, and antioxidant analysis. Chromium treatment resulted in the decline of root length, shoot length, fresh weight, and dry weight. Scanning electron microscopic studies revealed that Cr treatment altered the stomatal structure. As compared to control plants, MDA content increased by 80.1% in Cr-treated plants. Histological analysis with confocal microscope confirmed the nuclear damage, membrane damage, enhanced H2O2 accumulation, and decline in pigment concentration. Atomic absorption spectrometry analysis revealed an accumulation of 43.3% Chromium in the plant tissues and decreased concentration of essential elements as consequences of Cr treatment. The methanol extract of R. arboreum leaves (MEL) alleviated Cr stress in Vigna radiata seedlings by restoring normal growth, stomatal structure, and pigment contents, as well as essential elements. Reduction in H2O2 accumulation, reduced MDA content by 29.2%, and decline in Cr accumulation to 32.8% was observed after MEL supplementation to Cr-stressed plants. Decreased nuclear and membrane damage along with increased lipid-soluble as well as water-soluble antioxidants after MEL application in Cr-stressed plants are further symptoms of stress amelioration properties of Rhododendron leaves.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Researchers Supporting Project Number (RSP-2019/116), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India

    Vandana Gautam, Sukhmeen Kaur Kohli, Dhriti Kapoor, Palak Bakshi, Pooja Sharma, Saroj Arora & Renu Bhardwaj

  2. Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Parvaiz Ahmad

  3. Department of Botany, S.P. College Srinagar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Parvaiz Ahmad

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  1. Vandana Gautam
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  2. Sukhmeen Kaur Kohli
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Contributions

VG, RB, PA outlined the experimental setup. VG, SKK, DK performed the experiments. VG, PB, PS, SA wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. RB and PA revised the manuscript to the present form. The manuscript was read by all the authors and approved for submission.

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Correspondence to Renu Bhardwaj or Parvaiz Ahmad.

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Gautam, V., Kohli, S.K., Kapoor, D. et al. Stress Protective Effect of Rhododendron arboreum Leaves (MEL) on Chromium-Treated Vigna radiata Plants. J Plant Growth Regul 40, 423–435 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-020-10111-6

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