Effect of foliar-applied iron complexed with lysine on growth and cadmium (Cd) uptake in rice under Cd stress

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2018-07, Vol.25 (21), p.20691-20699
• Main Authors: Bashir, Arooj, Rizwan, Muhammad, Ali, Shafaqat, Zia ur Rehman, Muhammad, Ishaque, Wajid, Atif Riaz, Muhammad, Maqbool, Arosha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Agricultural production; Amino acids; Antioxidants; Aquatic plants; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Cadmium; Cadmium - analysis; Cadmium - metabolism; Chlorophyll; Contamination; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Electrolyte leakage; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Enzymes; Gas exchange; Iron; Iron - pharmacology; Lysine; Lysine - pharmacology; Models, Theoretical; Oryza - drug effects; Oryza - growth & development; Oryza - metabolism; Oryza sativa; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Photosynthesis; Photosynthesis - drug effects; Physiology; Research Article; Rice; Seedlings; Seedlings - drug effects; Seedlings - growth & development; Seedlings - metabolism; Soil - chemistry; Soil conditions; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Soil pollution; Soil stresses; Stress concentration; Toxicity; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Zinc
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-2042-y

Contamination of soils with cadmium (Cd) is a serious problem worldwide. Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) is reported to accumulate relatively higher Cd contents in consumable parts and is considered a main source of Cd toxicity to humans from rice-derived products. The aim of this pot trial was to investigate the effect of foliar-applied iron (Fe) complexed with lysine on growth, photosynthesis, Cd concentration in plants, oxidative stress, and activities of antioxidants of rice in soil contaminated with Cd. Rice seedlings (30-day-old) were transferred to the soil, and after 2 weeks, different concentrations of Fe-lysine (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, and 7.5 mg L −1 ) were applied as a foliar spray once in a week for 4 weeks and plant samples were taken after 10 weeks of growth in the soil under ambient conditions. Foliar supply of Fe-lysine complex significantly enhanced the plant height, dry weights of plants, concentration of chlorophyll, and gas exchange attributes in Cd-stressed rice. Fe-lysine decreased the Cd concentrations in plants while increasing the Fe concentrations in rice seedlings being maximum with Fe-lysine of 6.0 mg L −1 . Electrolyte leakage decreased while activities of key antioxidant enzymes increased with Fe-lysine compared to the control. According to the present results, Fe-lysine complex can effectively be used to reduce Cd concentrations in rice and probably in other crop species.