<p style="text-align: justify;">Soybean, the worldwide main source of oil and high protein feeds for the livestock sector has a high cadmium (Cd) accumulation capacity. With this background, the hydroponic culture experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of different concentrations of Cd (0-100 &micro;M) on growth, water relations, photosynthetic variables, oxidative stress, and antioxidant response in two soybean genotypes P-218 and P-898. Ten days old seedlings were subjected to (0-100 &micro;M CdCl2) for 15 days. The results indicated that the growth of genotype P-218 was not affected significantly upto 75 &micro;M CdCl2 treatment growth of P-828 was reduced significantly beyond 25 &micro;M CdCl2 treatments. Cd toxicity caused severe impairments in photosynthetic variables like photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content, in P-898 than in P-218. The activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase) were higher in P-218 than in P-828 at various levels of Cd treatments. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements revealed that non-photochemical quenching increased in P-218 and decreased in P-828 whereas the electron transport rate increased under Cd stress in P-828 and decreased in P-218. It is concluded that tolerance capacity of P-218 against Cd can be associated with the capability of this genotype in keeping an active photosynthetic system and strong antioxidant defense system.</p>


<p>Photosynthetic and antioxidant variability in soybean genotypes under Cadmium stress &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


<div style="text-align: justify;">Cadmium (Cd)-induced oxidative damage of liver and kidney and the ameliorative impact of baicalein against hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of rats was studied. Male SD rats were handled with either intraperitoneal cadmium (CdCl2, 2mg/kg) and/or oral baicalein (100 mg/kg) for 4 weeks. The results demonstrated that Cd increased the level of GPT, GOT, BUN in serum and the contents of MDA, GSH, decreased the activities of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px in tissues versus control. Conversely, administration of baicalein restored the changes in these parameters to nearly normal levels. The results suggested that the ameliorative impact of baicalein might be because of its antioxidant properties in combating free radical-induced oxidative stress resulting from cadmium chloride.</div>

Baicalein ameliorates cadmium-induced hepatic and renal oxidative damage in rats

<p>Expression of S-Adenosylmethionine synthetase (SAMS) gene in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) was analyzed by qRT PCR during abiotic stresses viz., drought, heavy metal (CdCl2) and cold. &nbsp;Maximum expression of SAMS gene in the leaves were observed at 3 days after drought stress with 15% PEG. Conversely, its expression was not detected in leaves and roots at cadmium stress but transcripts were down regulated as compared to the control. After 6 days of stress expression of SAMS gene was increased in leaves and roots as compared to the control but it was lower than its expression at 3 days after stress. The activities of antioxidative enzymes like glutathione reductase, glutathione-s-transferase, ascorbate peroxidase and metabolite constituents like polyamines and glycine betaine were also analyzed. The activities of antioxidative enzymes and concentration of glycine betaine showed remarkable increase in response to all stresses, except ascorbate peroxidase in heavy metal stress.</p>


<p>Abiotic stresses alter expression of S-Adenosylmethionine synthetase gene, polyamines and antioxidant activity in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.)</p>
