Article

Mitigating cobalt toxicity in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.): the role of ascorbic acid in enhancing pigments formation, antioxidant defense and gene expression

Hamna AsifDepartment of Botany, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, 63100, PakistanMuhammad Bilawal JunaidDepartment of Plant Production College of Food and Agriculture, King Saud University, Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi ArabiaHabib AliDepartment of Agronomy, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan. [email protected]Farwa TariqDepartment of Botany, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, 38000, PakistanMuhammad Arshad JavedDepartment of Botany, Division of Science and Technology, University of Education Lahore, Lahore, 37110, PakistanSeema BatoolDepartment of Development and Environmental Studies, Arctic Studies, University of Paris Saclay, Orsay, FranceImran MahmoodDepartment of Agronomy, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, 46300, PakistanGhulam AbbasDepartment of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, PakistanAmal Mohamed AlGarawiDepartment of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi ArabiaKomolitdin SultonovDepartment of Horticulture and Viticulture, Tashkent State Agrarian University, 2 A., Universitet Str., Kibray district, Tashkent region, 100700, UzbekistanJobborov BakhromDepartment of Ecology, National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, Tashkent, 100174, UzbekistanAleksandra O. UtkinaInstitute of Environmental Engineering, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya St, 117198, Moscow, RussiaMohd Asif ShahDivision of Research and Development, Lovely Professional University, 144001, Phagwara, Punjab, India. [email protected]

BMC Plant Biologyjournal2025en

ABI

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Elevated cobalt (Co) levels induce cellular toxicity and reduce overall plant growth and development. Ascorbic acid is known to enhance heavy metal tolerance in plants; however, its potential to reduce Co stress in linseed remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of ascorbic acid in mitigating Co toxicity in linseed, focusing on its influence on morpho-physiological and biochemical attributes, along with regulation of stress-responsive genes. RESULTS: The results revealed that ascorbic acid (0.2 mM) decreased plant Co concentration by 9.36% in Roshni and 7.03% in Chandni under Co stress compared to plants under Co stress without ascorbic acid. Plant dry weight and number of grains per plant increased by 29.11% and 34.61% while chlorophyll content improved by 37.50% and 15.78% in both cultivars. Under Co stress, AsA also improved plant calcium contents by 23.28% and 15.50%, potassium contents by 18.02% and 20.02%, amino acids by 27.57% and 16.95% and total soluble protein by 29.74% and 36.15% in Roshni and Chandi over non-AsA Co stress. In addition, AsA alleviated Co toxicity by reducing oxidative stress markers including malondialdehyde by 35.56% and 36.84%, superoxide radical by 26.18% and 51.30%, and hydrogen peroxide by 26.53% and 29.72% and increased antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase: 36.95% and 29.64%; catalase: 34.05% and 31.23%; and peroxidase: 35.29% and 24.01% and osmolytes accumulation (proline: 18.18% and 45.09%) in Roshni and Chandni. Interestingly, qRT-PCR confirmed its role in enhancing the gene expression of antioxidants (CuZnSOD1, 2, CAT1, 2, POD1, 2, APX1, 2) and proline (p5CR and P5CS) in linseed. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our results showed that ascorbic acid decreased cobalt-induced toxicity by modifying morpho-physiological and biochemical aspects as well as gene expression of linseed.

Topics

Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance Ginseng Biological Effects and Applications Genomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stress

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1186/s12870-025-07661-w

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