Exogenous Cinnamic Acid Improves Growth and Development of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Cadmium Stress

Abstract

Plants are adversely affected by the changing environmental conditions and their growth and productivity are greatly reduced, posing a serious challenge to the scientific community as well as the farmers. In the present study we investigated the effect of abiotic stress on growth and developmental parameters of maize plants and used an elicitor to alleviate its effects. The effect of cadmium (0, 10, 50 and 100 mg CdCl2 per 1.5 kg soil) either alone or in combination with cinnamic acid (0, 0.10, 0.25 and 0.50 mM) on the growth and development of maize (Zea mays L.) were studied. Cadmium treatment considerably reduced plant height (27.89 %), root length (40.57%), stem width (50.98%), number of leaves (25%), fresh weight of shoot (18.00%) and root (44.44%) and dry weight of shoot (20.77%) and root (58.70%) and also the total chlorophyll content (11.36%) indicating impairment of the photosynthetic apparatus under cadmium stress. Exogenous foliar application of cinnamic acid significantly mitigated the adverse effects of cadmium toxicity by ameliorating plant height (33.41%), root length (70.21%), stem width (204%), number of leaves (60%), fresh weight of shoot (22.42%) and root (104.62%) and dry weight of shoot (35.86%) and root (200%) and by restoring photosynthetic pigments (10.16%), compared with corresponding Cd-stressed plants without cinnamic acid. The results indicate that cinnamic acid effectively enhances cadmium tolerance in maize plants through regulation of growth and developmental parameters, showing its potential as an eco-friendly option for improving crop productivity in cadmium-contaminated soils.