Protection of growth in response to 28-homobrassinolide under the stress of cadmium and salinity in wheat.

This study examines the impact of 28-homobrassinolide (HBL) in alleviating the effects of cadmium (Cd) and salinity (NaCl) on wheat plants solely and against the synergy. The surface sterilized seeds of Triticum aestivum cv. PBW-373 were sown in the soil amended either with salinity or cadmium or both. The foliage in was sprayed at 20d after sowing (DAS) both in stressed and non-stressed plants. The spray of HBL at 20 DAS increased almost all the parameters while decreased the H2O2 content and lipid peroxidation in the leaves. The presence of cadmium and/or salinity decreased the values for all the growth and photosynthetic parameters but improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes and proline content in 30d old plants. However, the ill effects observed under NaCl and/or Cd treatment were completely overcomed by the spray of HBL to the plants at 20d stage. The spray of HBL to stressed plants further increased the antioxidant enzyme activities and proline content thereby giving tolerance to the plants against the stress.