Impact of salicylic acid on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under cadmium stress in Pakistan

• Published in: Pure and applied biology Vol. 11; no. 2; pp. 600 - 607
• Main Author: Rizwan, Muhammad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Quetta International Society of Pure and Applied Biology 10.06.2022
• Subjects: Acids; Agricultural production; Cadmium; Cereal crops; Crop yield; Cultivars; Experiments; Germination; Grain; Industrial wastes; Parameters; Pathogenesis; Pathogens; Plant growth; Plant resistance; Planting; Priming; Proteins; Salicylic acid; Seed germination; Seedlings; Seeds; Soil stresses; Soils; Stress; Toxicity; Wheat; Pakistan
• ISSN: 2304-2478; 2304-2478
• DOI: 10.19045/bspab.2022.110061

Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic element for plants. It is found in Pakistani soils and comes from industrial waste. Cd has become one of the major metal stresses which pose a serious threat to plants. Salicylic acid (SA) detoxifies the toxic effects of Cd in crop plants and improves the growth of plants. Therefore, the study was conducted to investigate the impact of Salicylic Acid on Wheat under Cadmium stress. The experiment was conducted at University of Sargodha, Lyallpur Campus Faisalabad, Pakistan during winter 2017-18. The experiment was consisted of 2 factors viz. cadmium and salicylic acid. There were two levels of cadmium viz. control and application of cadmium at concentration of 500 μM and three levels of salicylic acid viz. application of salicylic acid at concentration 0.1 mM, application of salicylic acid at concentration 0.5 mM and application of salicylic acid at concentration 0.9 mM. Wheat cultivar AARI-2011 was selected for the trial. Cadmium Sulphate (CdSO4) solution of concentration 500 pM, was applied for cadmium toxicity to the soil in the pots prior to sowing and sprayed at seedling stage (10 days after germination). Three concentrations of salicylic acid were used i.e. 0.1 mM, 0.5 mM and 0.9 mM as seed priming and as spray at seedling stage (10 days after seed germination). Replicated three times the experiment was laid out in Complete Randomized Design (CRD). Salicylic acid applied at concentration 0.5 mM under control was the most efficient in terms of seed germination. The morphological parameters were also significantly affected by the application of salicylic acid. Salicylic acid applied at concentration 0.5 mM under control and applied at concentration 0.9 mM under cadmium stress (with a difference of 4 %) were more efficient than other treatments in terms of seedling growth. Finally the yield parameters like number of spikelets, number of grains, 1000 grains weight and yield of wheat were also highly influenced by the application of salicylic acid under cadmium stress. Salicylic acid applied at concentration 0.5 mM under control and applied at concentration 0.9 mM under cadmium stress (with a difference of 0.9 %) were more efficient than other treatments in terms of yield parameters. The study portrays the significance of SA on wheat crop under Cd stress. The practical implication of this study is that under similar trial conditions, SA influences germination, growth and yield of crops in Cd toxic soils. Therefore, under Cd stress, SA should be applied for better yield and higher economic returns.