Comparative assessment of phytoextraction and antioxidant responses in rice varieties under Cd and As stress mediated by Bacillus subtilis
Paper Details
Comparative assessment of phytoextraction and antioxidant responses in rice varieties under Cd and As stress mediated by Bacillus subtilis
Abstract
The present study evaluated the role of Bacillus subtilis in mitigating cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) stress in three rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties ADT 36, CO 51, and TPS 5 under 100 mM metal concentration. Heavy metal stress significantly increased oxidative damage; however, microbial inoculation enhanced both enzymatic (SOD, CAT, POD, PPO, PAL, APX) and non-enzymatic (ascorbic acid, glutathione, phenols, and proline) antioxidant activities across varieties. Among the genotypes, ADT 36 exhibited the highest antioxidant enzyme activities, particularly under B. subtilis + As treatment, indicating superior oxidative stress management. Phytoaccumulation studies conducted at 30, 60, and 90 days after treatment revealed significantly higher metal accumulation in roots than shoots, with maximum accumulation at 60 days. Microbial inoculation markedly increased root Cd and As concentrations in all varieties. Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) and Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) values exceeded unity under B. subtilis treatments, demonstrating enhanced metal uptake efficiency. However, Translocation Factor (TF) and Level 2 mobility values remained below 1.0, indicating restricted metal translocation to aerial parts and suggesting a phytostabilization tendency rather than complete phytoextraction. The results highlight the synergistic interaction between metal-tolerant genotypes and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in alleviating heavy metal stress.
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J. Sujatha, R. Rajakumar*, 2026. Comparative assessment of phytoextraction and antioxidant responses in rice varieties under Cd and As stress mediated by Bacillus subtilis. Int. J. Biosci., 28(3), 1-12.
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