Effects of methyl jasmonate on cadmium accumulation, antioxidant capacity and some physiological traits of wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L.)

Cadmium is an unnecessary heavy metal with a relatively high mobility in the soil-root system and the potential for toxicity in plants and humans. This research investigates the effects of cadmium chloride and its interaction with methyl jasmonate on cadmium accumulation, its relative water content, proline content, the amount of photosynthetic pigments and the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in wheat seedlings (Sivand cultivar). The results showed that cadmium accumulation in root and shoot at 300 μM increased 30 and 17 times, respectively, compared to control level. Cadmium at concentrations of 200 and 300 μM resulted in significant changes in the studied traits. So that activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes is increased 2 to 3 times and the amount of proline is increased by 15%. While chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid content dropped by between 20% and 30% and relative water content was about 3% lower than the control level. Results showed that 10 μM methyl jasmonate spray on plants under cadmium stress increased the amount of proline (16%) and photosynthetic pigments (23%) and decreased the cadmium content of the root and shoot by 30%. At the 100 μM of methyl jasmonate the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes increased by 2 and 3 times, respectively. The results of this study indicate the ability of methyl jasmonate in change of cadmium accumulation in the root and shoot and in increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes.