Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal that poses significant risks to plant health and agricultural productivity. In Vigna radiata (mung bean), Cd stress leads to reduced growth, impaired photosynthesis, and increased oxidative stress due to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Triacontanol (TRIA), a long-chain fatty alcohol, has been shown to mitigate these effects by enhancing antioxidant pathways and improving nutrient uptake.
TRIA application significantly increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) in Vigna radiata under Cd stress. This enhancement in antioxidant enzyme activity helps in scavenging ROS, thereby reducing oxidative damage to cellular components. For instance, TRIA-treated plants exhibited a 2.9-fold increase in photosynthetic rate and a 6.0-fold increase in stomatal conductance compared to Cd-only treated plants, indicating improved physiological performance under stress conditions.
TRIA treatment has been shown to reduce Cd accumulation in Vigna radiata by approximately 3.0-fold. This reduction is attributed to enhanced nutrient uptake, including potassium (K+), sodium (Na+), magnesium (Mg2+), and zinc (Zn2+), which are crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis and mitigating metal toxicity. The metal tolerance index (MTI) also increased by 6.6-fold in TRIA-treated plants, indicating improved tolerance to Cd stress.
TRIA application led to significant improvements in chlorophyll content (2.1-fold increase in chlorophyll a and 3.1-fold in chlorophyll b), total phenolic content, and total soluble protein content. These enhancements contribute to better growth parameters, including increased shoot and root lengths, and higher germination rates. The study found that TRIA-treated seedlings had a germination percentage of 100% compared to 66% in Cd-only treated plants.
In summary, Triacontanol effectively modulates antioxidant pathways in Vigna radiata, enhancing the plant's ability to cope with cadmium-induced oxidative stress. By improving antioxidant enzyme activity and nutrient uptake, TRIA reduces Cd accumulation and promotes overall plant health under stress conditions. These findings suggest that TRIA could be a valuable tool in agricultural practices aimed at mitigating heavy metal toxicity in crops.
import pandas as pd import matplotlib.pyplot as plt # Sample data for Triacontanol effects on Vigna radiata data = { 'Treatment': ['Control', 'Cd', 'TRIA1', 'TRIA2', 'TRIA3', 'TRIA2+Cd'], 'Shoot Length (cm)': [5.44, 3.84, 7.75, 9.11, 8.54, 8.12], 'Root Length (cm)': [3.12, 2.50, 4.65, 5.76, 5.01, 5.12], 'Germination Percentage (%)': [84, 66, 90, 100, 95, 95] } df = pd.DataFrame(data) # Plotting the data plt.figure(figsize=(10, 6)) plt.bar(df['Treatment'], df['Shoot Length (cm)'], color='blue', alpha=0.6, label='Shoot Length') plt.bar(df['Treatment'], df['Root Length (cm)'], color='green', alpha=0.6, label='Root Length') plt.title('Effect of Triacontanol on Vigna radiata Growth Parameters') plt.xlabel('Treatment') plt.ylabel('Length (cm)') plt.legend() plt.show()