Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2013, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (10): 950-960.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1258.2013.00098

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Mitigation effects of exogenous glutathione on the growth of Dianthus chinensis seedlings under Cd stress

DING Ji-Jun1,2(),PAN Yuan-Zhi1,*(),LI Li3,LIU Shi-Liang1,CUI Ming-Feng1,4,GAO Pei-Gang1   

  1. 1College of Landscape Architecture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
    2The Three Gorges Industrial Co.,Ltd., Yichang, Hubei 443002, China
    3College of Forestry, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
    4Cheng Du Yihe Landscape Architecture Design Co.Ltd., Chengdu 610032, China
  • Received:2013-03-07 Accepted:2013-08-20 Online:2013-03-07 Published:2013-09-29
  • Contact: PAN Yuan-Zhi

Abstract:

Aims The objective was to investigate exogenous glutathione (GSH) mitigation effects of Cadmium (Cd) toxicity on ground cover plants.
Methods A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of spraying different concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg·L -1) exogenous GSH on Dianthus chinensis seedlings exposed to 50 mg·kg -1 Cd in the soil.
Important findings 50 mg·kg -1 Cd significantly inhibited the growth of D. chinensis seedlings; however, a range of concentrations of sprayed exogenous GSH significantly relieved Cd stress on D. chinensis seedlings. Sprayed D. chinensis seedlings had increased activities of the catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as increased ascorbic acid (AsA) and GSH contents, biomass, plant height and number of tillers. There were decreases in malondialdehyde (MDA), cell membrane permeability, Cd contents, O2· - production rates and accumulated amount of H2O2. However, with increased exogenous GSH concentration, there was a downward trend in mitigation effects. Considering all factors, the mitigation effects were maximized by spraying 55-65 mg·L -1 exogenous GSH.

Key words: AsA-GSH cycle, Cd stress, Dianthus chinensis seedling, exogenous GSH, mitigation effect