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Cadmium stress alters the redox reaction and hormone balance in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) leaves

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Abstract

In order to understand the physiological response of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) leaves to cadmium (Cd) stress and exploit the physiological mechanisms involved in Cd tolerance, macro-mineral and chlorophyll concentrations, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, activities of enzymatic antioxidants, nonenzymatic compounds metabolism, endogenous hormonal changes, and balance in leaves of oilseed rape exposed to 0, 100, or 200 μM CdSO4 were investigated. The results showed that under Cd exposure, Cd concentrations in the leaves continually increased while macro-minerals and chlorophyll concentrations decreased significantly. Meanwhile, with increased Cd stress, superoxide anion (O • −2 ) production rate and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations in the leaves increased significantly, which caused malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and oxidative stress. For scavenging excess accumulated ROS and alleviating oxidative injury in the leaves, the activity of enzymatic antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), was increased significantly at certain stress levels. However, with increased Cd stress, the antioxidant enzyme activities all showed a trend towards reduction. The nonenzymatic antioxidative compounds, such as proline and total soluble sugars, accumulated continuously with increased Cd stress to play a long-term role in scavenging ROS. In addition, ABA levels also increased continuously with Cd stress while ZR decreased and the ABA/ZR ratio increased, which might also be providing a protective role against Cd toxicity.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

Car:

Carotenoid

Cd:

Cadmium

Chl:

Chlorophyll

Chl a:

Chlorophyll a

Chl b:

Chlorophyll b

Ca:

Calcium

CAT:

Catalase

CK:

Cytokinin

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

K:

Potassium

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

Mg:

Magnesium

Na:

Sodium

O • −2 :

Superoxide anion

POD:

peroxidase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

Total Chl:

Total chlorophyll

ZR:

Zeatin-riboside

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51409131) and Jiangxi Province Science and Technology Support Program, China (20151BBF60013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Basin Agricultural Resources and Ecology of Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, People’s Republic of China

    Hui Yan & Xiaomin Zhao

  2. Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ecosciences Precinct, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia

    Fiona Filardo

  3. Key Lab of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaotao Hu

  4. Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Education, Agronomy College, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, People’s Republic of China

    DongHui Fu

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  1. Hui Yan
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  2. Fiona Filardo
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  3. Xiaotao Hu
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  4. Xiaomin Zhao
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Correspondence to DongHui Fu.

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Yan, H., Filardo, F., Hu, X. et al. Cadmium stress alters the redox reaction and hormone balance in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) leaves. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 3758–3769 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5640-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5640-y

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