Response of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seedlings under moisture and heavy metal stress with special reference to antioxidant system

Abstract

In the present investigation, the impact of drought and heavy metal in fenugreek was critically monitored. Fenugreek seedlings were exposed to 1-bar polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution (osmotic stress) and 10 ppm solution of HgCl 2 (heavy metal). Within 3 days of seedling growth, mercury exposure induced relatively high level of adverse impact of root growth and biomass production where cell division was significantly reduced measured by mitotic index and development of root vascular bundle was affected indicating negative impact on nutrient transport chain. Mercury stress showed a five-fold increase in malonaldehyde (MAD) production along with antioxidant enzyme peroxidase (POD) activity and mercury stress showed simultaneous and lower antioxidant activity compared to osmotic stress increased activity in super oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) indicates that mercury pollution leads to serious damage in cell membrane through accumulation of lipid peroxides and POD activity to quench it whereas osmotic stress is not so serious and adopt the mechanism to quench the superoxides by SOD and followed by the detoxification of H 2 O 2 by catalase and formation of lower level of MAD.

Protective role of polyethylene glycol towards the damaging effects of cadmium

“…The present results show an elevated level of SOD activity in chilli plants growing under PEG treatment. Previous studies reported the similar ndings where, Cd and PEG treatment enhanced the activity of SOD, peroxidase, catalase, etc (Karmakar et al, 2014;Shi et al, 2015)…”

“…In this experiment, Cd signi cantly induces higher level of lipid peroxidation in comparison the PEG stress. This ndings were com rmed byKarmakar et al (2014), where LP increased in response to heavy metal and water stress in fenugreek seedlings.Heavy metal stress stimulated level of antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT in Cd treated plants as compared with the control. The present results show an elevated level of SOD activity in chilli plants growing under PEG treatment.…”