Effects of ascorbic acid addition on the oxidative stress response of Oryza sativa L. plants to As(V) exposure

Accumulation of noxious elements in the edible part of crops and its impact on food safety is of increasing concern. Rice is one of the major staple food crops worldwide, including arsenic (As)-polluted areas, in which dietary As exposure is becoming a widespread health threat. Plant chemical priming has been shown to be an effective strategy to enhance tolerance to environmental stresses, including metal(loid) exposure. The priming effect of ascorbic acid (AsA) was assessed in rice seedlings exposed to As(V) in a hydroponics experiment. AsA treatment (co-addition to the growing media concomitantly (t(0)) or 24 h in advance (t(24))) prevented an excessive accumulation of As in the mots (that decreased similar to 60%) and stimulated the activities of photosynthetic and antioxidant attributes (similar to 1.2-fold) in the aerial part of the plants. The increase in proline levels in both shoots (similar to 2.1-fold) and roots (similar to 2.4-fold) was found to be the most sensitive stress parameter, and was able to reflect the AsA-induced reduction of As toxic effects (concentrations back to Control levels, both simultaneously added or added as a pretreatment) in the aerial part of the plants. However, the phytotoxic effects related to As exposure were not fully prevented by priming with AsA, and further research is needed to find alternative priming approaches.

Automated summary

Accumulation of noxious elements in crops and its impact on food safety is a growing concern. This study found that ascorbic acid can reduce the accumulation of arsenic in rice by improving photosynthetic and antioxidant attributes. However, alternative priming approaches are needed to fully prevent the phytotoxic effects of arsenic exposure.