title: Effects of exogenous salicylic acid pre-treatment on cadmium toxicity and leaf lipid content in Linum usitatissimum L.
abstract: The effects of salicylic acid (SA) on cadmium (Cd) toxicity in flax plants were studied by investigating plant growth, lipid peroxidation and fatty acid composition. Cadmium inhibited biomass production as well as the absorption of K, Ca, Mg and Fe. Furthermore, it dramatically increased Cd accumulation in both roots and shoots. The pre-soaking of dry flax grains in SA-containing solutions partially protected seedlings from Cd toxicity during the following growth period. SA treatment decreased the uptake and the transport of Cd, alleviated the Cd-induced inhibition of Ca, Mg and Fe absorption and promoted plant growth. At leaf level, Cd significantly decreased both total lipid (TL) and chlorophyll (Chl) content and enhanced electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation as indicated by malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Concomitantly, Cd caused a shift in fatty acid composition, resulting in a lower degree of their unsaturation. SA pre-soaking ameliorated the increased electrolyte leakage as well as Chl, MDA and TL content. SA particularly increased the percentage of linolenic acid and lowered that of palmitic acid by the same proportion. These results suggest that SA could be used as a potential growth regulator and a stabilizer of membrane integrity to improve plant resistance to Cd stress.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherche de Biologie et Physiologie Cellulaires Végétales, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire, 1060 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belkhadi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hediji
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abbes
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nouairi
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Barhoumi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarrouk
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chaïbi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Djebali
mesh_terms: D002104:Cadmium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D019597:Flax / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008345:Manganese / Q000378:metabolism; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids; D008345:Manganese; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D007501:Iron; D020156:Salicylic Acid; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium