Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most phytotoxic elements causing an agricultural problem and human health hazards. This work investigates whether and how silicon (Si) ameliorates Cd toxicity in Alfalfa. The addition of Si in Cd-stressed plants caused significant improvement in morpho-physiological features as well as total protein and membrane stability, indicating that Si does have critical roles in Cd detoxification in Alfalfa. Furthermore, Si supplementation in Cd-stressed plants showed a significant decrease in Cd and Fe concentrations in both roots and shoots compared with Cd-stressed plants, revealing that Si-mediated tolerance to Cd stress is associated with Cd inhibition in Alfalfa. Results also showed no significant changes in the expression of two metal chelators [MsPCS1 (phytochelatin synthase) and MsMT2 (metallothionein)] and PC (phytochelatin) accumulation, indicating that there may be no metal sequestration or change in metal sequestration following Si application under Cd stress in Alfalfa. We further performed a targeted study on the effect of Si on Fe uptake mechanisms. We observed the consistent reduction in Fe reductase activity, expression of Fe-related genes [MsIRT1 (Fe transporter), MsNramp1 (metal transporter) and OsFRO1 (ferric chelate reductase] and Fe chelators (citrate and malate) by Si application to Cd stress in roots of Alfalfa. These results support that limiting Fe uptake through the down-regulation of Fe acquisition mechanisms confers Si-mediated alleviation of Cd toxicity in Alfalfa. Finally, an increase of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities along with elevated methionine and proline subjected to Si application might play roles, at least in part, to reduce H2O2 and to provide antioxidant defense against Cd stress in Alfalfa. The study shows evidence of the effect of Si on alleviating Cd toxicity in Alfalfa and can be further extended for phytoremediation of Cd toxicity in plants.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon improved morpho-physiological features, total protein and membrane stability under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- Alfalfa
Medicago sativat0 - Treatment
- addition of Sie0
- Outcome
- morpho-physiological features as well as total protein and membrane stabilitye0
- Direction
- improvemente0
- Comparator
- Cd-stressed plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The addition of Si in Cd-stressed plants caused significant improvement in morpho-physiological features as well as total protein and membrane stability”
t0“Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon reduced cadmium concentration in roots and shoots under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- roots and shootse0
- Treatment
- Si supplementatione0
- Outcome
- Cde0
- Direction
- decreasee0
- Comparator
- Cd-stressed plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si supplementation in Cd-stressed plants showed a significant decrease in Cd and Fe concentrations in both roots and shoots compared with Cd-stressed plants”
t0“Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon reduced iron concentration in roots and shoots under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- roots and shootse0
- Treatment
- Si supplementatione0
- Outcome
- Fe concentrationse0
- Direction
- decreasee0
- Comparator
- Cd-stressed plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Si supplementation in Cd-stressed plants showed a significant decrease in Cd and Fe concentrations in both roots and shoots compared with Cd-stressed plants”
t0“Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon did not significantly change MsPCS1 and MsMT2 expression under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Si applicatione1
- Gene
- MsPCS1 (phytochelatin synthase) and MsMT2 (metallothionein)e0
- Outcome
- expression of two metal chelatorse0
- Direction
- no significant changese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no significant changes in the expression of two metal chelators [MsPCS1 (phytochelatin synthase) and MsMT2 (metallothionein)]”
t0“Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e1“Si application under Cd stress in Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon did not significantly change phytochelatin accumulation under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Si applicatione1
- Outcome
- PC (phytochelatin) accumulatione0
- Direction
- no significant changese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“no significant changes in the expression of two metal chelators [MsPCS1 (phytochelatin synthase) and MsMT2 (metallothionein)] and PC (phytochelatin) accumulation”
t0“Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e1“Si application under Cd stress in Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon reduced iron reductase activity in roots under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Si applicatione0
- Outcome
- Fe reductase activitye0
- Direction
- reductione0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“We observed the consistent reduction in Fe reductase activity, expression of Fe-related genes [MsIRT1 (Fe transporter), MsNramp1 (metal transporter) and OsFRO1 (ferric chelate reductase] and Fe chelators (citrate and malate) by Si application to Cd stress in roots of Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon reduced expression of MsIRT1, MsNramp1 and OsFRO1 in roots under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Si applicatione0
- Gene
- MsIRT1 (Fe transporter), MsNramp1 (metal transporter) and OsFRO1 (ferric chelate reductasee0
- Outcome
- expression of Fe-related genese0
- Direction
- reductione0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“We observed the consistent reduction in Fe reductase activity, expression of Fe-related genes [MsIRT1 (Fe transporter), MsNramp1 (metal transporter) and OsFRO1 (ferric chelate reductase] and Fe chelators (citrate and malate) by Si application to Cd stress in roots of Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon reduced citrate and malate in roots under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Si applicatione0
- Outcome
- Fe chelators (citrate and malate)e0
- Direction
- reductione0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“We observed the consistent reduction in Fe reductase activity, expression of Fe-related genes [MsIRT1 (Fe transporter), MsNramp1 (metal transporter) and OsFRO1 (ferric chelate reductase] and Fe chelators (citrate and malate) by Si application to Cd stress in roots of Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors infer that limiting iron uptake via down-regulated iron acquisition alleviates cadmium toxicity.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- Si-mediated alleviation of Cd toxicitye0
- Qualifier
- limiting Fe uptake through the down-regulation of Fe acquisition mechanismse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“limiting Fe uptake through the down-regulation of Fe acquisition mechanisms confers Si-mediated alleviation of Cd toxicity in Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon increased catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Si applicatione0
- Outcome
- catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activitiese0
- Direction
- increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“an increase of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities along with elevated methionine and proline subjected to Si application”
t0“Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silicon elevated methionine and proline under cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Si applicatione0
- Outcome
- methionine and prolinee0
- Direction
- elevatede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“an increase of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities along with elevated methionine and proline subjected to Si application”
t0“Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors suggest antioxidant changes may reduce H2O2 and defend against cadmium stress.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- antioxidant defense against Cd stresse0
- Qualifier
- reduce H2O2e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“might play roles, at least in part, to reduce H2O2 and to provide antioxidant defense against Cd stress in Alfalfa”
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See all 5 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.