A pot experiment was conducted to examine the effect of foliar application of various levels of ZnSO₄ on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under cadmium (Cd) stress. Seeds of two wheat varieties i.e., Ujala-2016 and Anaj-2017 were sown in sand filled plastic pots. Cadmium (CdCl₂) stress i.e., 0 and 0.5 mM CdCl₂ was applied in full strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution after 4 weeks of seed germination. Foliar spray of varying ZnSO₄ levels i.e., 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mM was applied after 2 weeks of CdCl₂ stress induction (of 6 week old plants). After 3 weeks of foliar treatment leaf samples of 9 week old wheat plants were collected for the determination of changes in various growth and physiobiochemical attributes. Results obtained showed that cadmium stress (0.5 mM CdCl₂) significantly decreased shoot and root fresh and dry weights, shoot and root lengths, yield attributes, chlorophyll a contents and total phenolics, while increased hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), total soluble proteins, free proline, glycinebetaine (GB) contents, and activities of antioxidant enzymes i.e., catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POD). Foliar application of varying ZnSO₄ levels significantly increased various growth attributes, chlorophyll b contents, H₂O₂, free proline, GB and activities of antioxidant enzymes i.e., CAT, POD and APX, while decreased relative water contents and total phenolics under Cd stress or non stress conditions. Furthermore, both wheat varieties showed differential response under Cd stress and towards foliar application of ZnSO₄ e.g., wheat var. Ujala-2016 was higher in shoot dry weight, root length, root fresh and dry weights, total leaf area per plant, 100 grains weight, number of tillers per plant, chlorophyll b, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), activities of APX, POD, glycinebetaine and leaf free proline contents, while var. Anaj-2017 exhibited high shoot fresh weight, grain yield per plant, no. of grains per plant, chlorophyll contents, chlorophyll a/b ratio, total phenolics, MDA and total soluble protein contents under cadmium stress or non stress conditions.

中文翻译：

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镉 (Cd) 胁迫下叶面喷施硫酸锌 (ZnSO4) 对小麦 (Triticum aestivum L.) 生长和关键生理生化特性的调节。


通过盆栽试验研究了镉(Cd)胁迫下叶面喷施不同浓度ZnSO ₄对小麦( Triticum aestivum L.)的影响。将 Ujala-2016 和 Anaj-2017 两个小麦品种的种子播种在装满沙子的塑料盆中。种子萌发4周后，在全强度Hoagland营养液中施加镉(CdCl ₂ )胁迫，即0和0.5 mM CdCl ₂ 。 (6周龄植物)CdCl ₂胁迫诱导2周后，叶面喷洒不同ZnSO ₄水平，即0、2、4、6和8mM。经过 3 周的叶面处理后，收集 9 周龄小麦植株的叶子样品，用于测定各种生长和生理生化属性的变化。结果表明，镉胁迫 (0.5 mM CdCl ₂ ) 显着降低了芽和根的鲜重和干重、芽和根的长度、产量属性、叶绿素a含量和总酚类物质，同时增加了过氧化氢 (H ₂ O ₂ )、总可溶性物质。蛋白质、游离脯氨酸、甘氨酸甜菜碱 (GB) 含量以及抗氧化酶的活性，即过氧化氢酶 (CAT)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶 (APX) 和过氧化物酶 (POD)。叶面喷施不同浓度的 ZnSO ₄显着提高了各种生长特性、叶绿素b含量、H ₂ O ₂ 、游离脯氨酸、GB 和抗氧化酶（即 CAT、POD 和 APX）的活性，同时降低了 Cd 胁迫下的相对含水量和总酚含量或非压力条件。 此外，两个小麦品种在Cd胁迫和叶面喷施ZnSO ₄下表现出不同的反应，例如小麦品种。 Ujala-2016 的芽干重、根长、根鲜重和干重、单株总叶面积、百粒重、单株分蘖数、叶绿素b 、过氧化氢 (H ₂ O ₂ )、APX 活性均较高、POD、甘氨酸甜菜碱和叶游离脯氨酸含量，而 var。 Anaj-2017 表现出高芽鲜重、单株籽粒产量，第 1 名。镉胁迫或非胁迫条件下单株籽粒数、叶绿素含量、叶绿素a/b比、总酚、MDA和总可溶性蛋白质含量。