Abstract
Iron deficiency and cadmium (Cd) stress causes a rapid change in plant physiology. The aim of this work was to characterize the effects of Fe supplementation on redox reactions in leguminous plants under Cd toxicity. The experiments were performed in hydroponic nutrient media, using mungbean grown under 300 µM cadmium chloride with or without Fe for 10 days. The Fe concentration in plants grown under Fe deficiency was reduced by the presence of Cd; however, it recovered to control levels after Fe was supplied. Similarly, a very high Cd concentration was observed in plants grown under Fe deficiency in the presence of Cd toxicity but when Fe was supplied the Cd concentration decreased. After 5 days of Fe deficiency, the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione reductase and ascorbate peroxidase) were significantly higher than in plants supplied with Fe in the absence or presence of Cd. However, after 10 days of Fe deficiency, these enzyme activities were severely decreased in the presence of Cd toxicity but increased when Fe was present. The activities of other peroxidase enzymes such as guaiacol peroxidase, syringaldazine peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and benzidine peroxidase decreased after 10 days under Cd toxicity and were further reduced in the absence of Fe. Furthermore, the level of reduced glutathione and oxidized glutathione increased for the first 5 days under Cd toxicity under Fe deficiency but was reduced after Fe was supplied to Cd-treated plants. The data indicate that supply of Fe contributes to the alleviation of Cd toxicity in redox reaction pathways in mungbean plants.