Comparative antioxidant profiling of tolerant and sensitive varieties of Brassica juncea L. to arsenate and arsenite exposure.

Comparative antioxidant profiling of tolerant (TPM-1) and sensitive (TM-4) variety of Brassica juncea L. was performed after exposure to arsenate [As(V)] and arsenite [As(III)]. TPM-1 demonstrated higher accumulation of As upon exposure to both 500 microM As(V) and 250 microM As(III) (49 and 37 microg g(-1) dw after 15 days) as compared with that observed in TM-4. The activities of various antioxidant enzymes and the level of glutathione and proline demonstrated, in general, a comparatively better response in TPM-1 than in TM-4 that presumably allowed TPM-1 to tolerate higher As concentrations as compared with that of TM-4.