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Sulphur and calcium attenuate arsenic toxicity inBrassicaby adjusting ascorbate–glutathione cycle and sulphur metabolism

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Abstract

Present study was performed in order to explicate whether added sulphur (S; 60 mg S kg−1 sand) and calcium (Ca; 250 mg Ca kg−1 sand) alone and in combination could modulate arsenic-induced (As1; 15 mg As kg−1 sand and As2; 30 mg As kg−1 sand) toxicity in Brassica juncea L. seedlings. To study this, growth and growth regulating processes i.e. status of oxidative stress biomarkers (H2O2 generation and lipid peroxidation), enzymes and metabolites of AsA-GSH cycle and S-metabolism were examined. Both the doses of As significantly reduced the growth as evident from diminishing dry weight and increased lipid peroxidation as a consequence of excess H2O2 accumulation. Arsenic also altered the redox status of the cell thereby depleting the AsA and GSH pool that consequently decreased AsA/DHA, AsA/H2O2 and GSH/GSSG ratios. Neverthless, APX, DHAR and GR activities were enhanced under similar conditions. Contrary to this, additional S and/ or Ca maintained the redox status of the cell that improved AsA/DHA and GSH/GSSG ratios, and further enhanced the enzymatic activities in both root and leaves of the test seedlings. Upon As exposure, test seedlings exhibited an increase in S assimilation as a result of increased enzyme activities of ATPS, OASTL and γ-ECS, which were further enhanced upon S and/ or Ca addition to stressed seedlings. Due to increment in S assimilation, PCs synthesis was also increased that restricted As translocation from root to shoot. Collectively, our result provides an insight for protective role of S and Ca alone and more efficiently in combination (S+Ca) to As-stressed Brassica seedlings suggesting that S and Ca together could be a promising candidates in managing As toxicity in crops.

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Acknowledgements

Rachana Singh and Parul Parihar are very grateful to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi for providing financial support (as UGC-AU research scholar) to carry out present work. Authors are also thankful to DST-FIST programme funded by Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India to Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad for providing necessary facilities.

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  1. Rachana Singh and Parul Parihar have contributed equally to this work.

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  1. Ranjan Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, 211002, India

    Rachana Singh, Parul Parihar & Sheo Mohan Prasad

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  1. Rachana Singh
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Singh, R., Parihar, P. & Prasad, S.M. Sulphur and calcium attenuate arsenic toxicity inBrassicaby adjusting ascorbate–glutathione cycle and sulphur metabolism. Plant Growth Regul 91, 221–235 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-020-00601-8

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