MORINGA LEAF EXTRACT AND ASCORBIC ACID EVOKE POTENTIALLY BENEFICIAL ANTIOXIDANTS ESPECIALLY PHENOLICS IN WHEAT GROWN UNDER CADMIUM STRESS

Moringa oleifera (Sohanjna) is considered as a miraculous plant for pertaining a handsome blend of growth promoting substances. The glistening effects of moringa leaf extract (MLE) and ascorbic acid (AsA) were investigated at two stages of wheat grown under cadmium (Cd) stress. The cadmium chloride (CdCl2 center dot 5H(2)O) was used to induce Cd stress (0, 500 mu mol/L, 1000 mu mol/L) at three leaf seedlings stage along with foliar spray of moringa leaves extract (3%) and ascorbic acid (50 mmol/L). Data was collected at two stages (Tillering and Boot) of wheat. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and total soluble protein (TSP) increased significantly with foliar spray of MLE and AsA at boot stage of wheat under Cd (500 mu mol/L) stress, while elevated level of Cd irreversibly damage antioxidant response by accumulating higher amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. Furthermore, quercetin, gallic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid and coumeric acid confers tolerance with MLE and AsA under stressful conditions at both stages while syringic and sinapic acid were the least expressed phenolic compounds in wheat. MLE is an effective remedy to mitigate oxidative damage caused by Cd and enhanced enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant response in wheat particularly at boot stage.

Automated summary

The study found that the leaf extract of Moringa oleifera and ascorbic acid had positive effects on the growth of wheat under cadmium stress, significantly increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and alleviating oxidative damage.