Page 225 - C:\Users\am_se\OneDrive - Higher Education Commission\Desktop\FlipBook\

International Conference on

Recent Trends in Environmental Sustainability

ESCON22/SAgri/03
Physio-biochemical and yield improvements of cadmium stressed maize (Zea mays L.)
by Serratia sp. CP-13 inoculation: a sustainable eco-friendly perspective

1
1
1
1
M. Tariq Javed* , Kashif Tanwir , Muhammad Sohail Akram , Saghir Abbas , Muhammad
Shahid 2
1 Department of Botany, Faculty of Life Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad
38000, Pakistan
2 Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University,
Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan

Correspondence: mtariqjaved@gcuf.edu.pk
Abstract

Increasing cadmium pollution in soil has been posing severe threats to human food availability
and environmental eminence. Current work was aimed to evaluate the effect of Cd tolerant
Serratia sp. CP-13 inoculation on Cd tolerance in maize cultivars. The two cultivars potentially
differing in Cd tolerance and metabolic growth were selected as Cd-tolerant (MMRI-Yellow)
and Cd-sensitive (Sahiwal-2002). A solution culture activity was performed in growth chamber
with and without Serratia sp. CP-13 inoculation of both aforementioned cultivars growing in
Cd treatments (0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 µM). The growth, physio-biochemical (organic acids,
chlorophylls, carotenoids, soluble sugar, proline, flavonoids, anthocyanin, total protein), stress
indicators, antioxidants (POD, APX, SOD, CAT) and elemental analysis (Cd, Zn, Fe, Ca, Na,
Mg, K) were executed after sampling at seedling stage. Maize exhibited significant decrease in
plant growth, leaf area, biomass, nutrients content, antioxidant enzymes and photosynthetic
pigments in non-inoculated cv. MMRI-Yellow and cv. Sahiwal-2002, except Cd, Na, RMP,
MDA and H2O2 which showed antagonistic response. However, this decrease was recorded
higher in Cd sensitive Sahiwal-2002 as compared to MMRI-Yellow. The seed inoculation of
CP-13 also considerably optimised the Cd stressed maize cultivars growth, biomass, nutrients
and physio-biochemical attributes, except Cd, Na, RMP, H2O2 and MDA, which were
decreased antagonistically in all activities. Additionally, the release of organic acids by plant
roots in solution culture were also enhanced in CP-13 inoculated maize. Outcomes revealed
that inoculation of Serratia sp. CP-13 enhanced the metabolism of both MMRI-Yellow and
Sahiwal-2002 maize cultivars however, considerable higher Cd tolerance was attained by Cd-
sensitive Sahiwal-2002 cultivars than MMRI-Yellow at 30 µM Cd treatments. The CP-13
based enhanced Cd tolerance might be due to the higher release of organic acids, enhanced
PGP traits and reduced accretion of Cd. Serratia sp. CP-13 was recommended as potential bio-
inoculant for bioremediation and Cd based oxidative stress mitigation synergistically in Cd
stressed environments with crop plants.
Keywords: maize; cadmium; Serratia sp.; crop plants.

Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus

192