Abstract
Abstract BACKGROUND Accumulation of lead (Pb) in agricultural soils has become a major factor for reduced crop yields and poses serious threats to humans consuming agricultural products. The present study investigated the effects of KNO 3 seed priming (0 and 0.5% KNO 3 ) on growth of maize ( Zea mays L.) seedlings exposed to Pb toxicity (0, 1300 and 2550 mg kg −1 Pb). RESULTS Pb exposure markedly reduced the growth of maize seedlings and resulted in higher Pb accumulation in roots than shoots. Pretreatment of seeds with KNO 3 significantly improved the germination percentage and increased physiological indices. A stimulating effect of KNO 3 seed priming was also observed on pigments (chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents) of Pb‐stressed plants. Low translocation of Pb from roots to shoots caused an increased accumulation of total free amino acids and higher activities of catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase in roots as compared to shoot, which were further enhanced by exogenous KNO 3 supply to prevent Pb toxicity. CONCLUSION Maize accumulates more Pb in roots than shoot at early growth stages. Priming of seeds with KNO 3 prevents Pb toxicity, which may be exploited to improve seedling establishment in crop species grown under Pb contaminated soils. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Pb exposure markedly reduced maize seedling growth.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Pb exposure markedly reduced the growth of maize seedlings”
Claim · model-written summary
Pb accumulated more in maize roots than shoots.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“higher Pb accumulation in roots than shoots”
Claim · model-written summary
KNO 3 seed priming significantly improved germination percentage.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“Pretreatment of seeds with KNO 3 significantly improved the germination percentage and increased physiological indices.”
Claim · model-written summary
KNO 3 seed priming increased physiological indices.
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“Pretreatment of seeds with KNO 3 significantly improved the germination percentage and increased physiological indices.”
Claim · model-written summary
KNO 3 seed priming stimulated chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in Pb-stressed plants.
- Treatment
- KNO 3 seed priminge0
- Outcome
- chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contentse0
- Direction
- stimulatinge0
- Qualifier
- Pb‐stressed plantse0
Not reportedTaxonComparator
Verbatim
e0“A stimulating effect of KNO 3 seed priming was also observed on pigments (chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents) of Pb‐stressed plants.”
Claim · model-written summary
Total free amino acids accumulated more in roots than shoots under Pb exposure.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Low translocation of Pb from roots to shoots caused an increased accumulation of total free amino acids and higher activities of catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase in roots as compared to shoot”
Claim · model-written summary
Catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase activities were higher in roots than shoots.
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Outcome
- activities of catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidasee0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- shoote0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“higher activities of catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase in roots as compared to shoot”
Claim · model-written summary
Exogenous KNO 3 further enhanced root amino acid accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activity.
Not reportedTaxonComparatorOutcome
Verbatim
e0“which were further enhanced by exogenous KNO 3 supply to prevent Pb toxicity”
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