Ragab Gehad A, Nessem Afaf A, Elshobary Mostafa E, Henjes Joachim, Razzaky Esraa O
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
Aquaculture Research, AWI-Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany.
Front Plant Sci. 2025 Jul 4;16:1621482. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1621482. eCollection 2025.
Cobalt (Co), while beneficial in trace amounts for biological systems, can severely impact plant growth at elevated levels in contaminated soils. This study investigated the physiological, biochemical and subcellular effects of Co toxicity on wheat ( L.) and evaluated, for the first time, the protective potential of extract. The algal extract analysis demonstrated its rich content of amino acids, minerals, phytohormones, and fatty acids. Wheat seedlings were subjected to cobalt chloride (150 mM) irrigation, which was previously primed with either water or extract. Co stress significantly impaired growth by reducing water content and essential nutrients (K, Mg, and Fe), leading to a 42.42 and 23.8% decrease, respectively, in root and shoot biomasses, a 9% reduction in photosynthetic efficiency, visible chlorosis, and root thickening. Stress exposure also induced oxidative damage, shown by 67.1% increase in hydrogen peroxide and a 170.1% rise in malondialdehyde content, accompanied by membrane leakage and reduced antioxidant enzyme activities. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed morphophysiological and biochemical disruptions at the cellular level. Priming with extract significantly alleviated these effects by enhancing nutrient uptake, increasing root and shoot biomasses by 78.94% and 58.33%, respectively, reducing oxidative damage and maintaining cellular homeostasis. It also preserved chloroplast structure, nucleus, and cell wall microtubules, maintaining overall cellular integrity and antioxidant efficiency. Our findings demonstrate that extract offers a promising and novel biogenic strategy for enhancing wheat resilience to cobalt contamination through its nutritional and antioxidant properties.
钴（Co）虽然在痕量时对生物系统有益，但在受污染土壤中含量升高时会严重影响植物生长。本研究调查了钴毒性对小麦（L.）的生理、生化和亚细胞影响，并首次评估了提取物的保护潜力。藻类提取物分析表明其富含氨基酸、矿物质、植物激素和脂肪酸。小麦幼苗接受氯化钴（150 mM）灌溉，之前分别用水或提取物预处理。钴胁迫通过降低水分含量和必需养分（钾、镁和铁）显著损害生长，导致根和地上部生物量分别下降42.42%和23.8%，光合效率降低9%，出现明显的黄化现象和根部增粗。胁迫暴露还诱导了氧化损伤，表现为过氧化氢增加67.1%，丙二醛含量上升170.1%，同时伴有膜渗漏和抗氧化酶活性降低。超微结构分析证实了细胞水平上的形态生理和生化破坏。用提取物预处理通过增强养分吸收显著减轻了这些影响，使根和地上部生物量分别增加78.94%和58.33%，减少氧化损伤并维持细胞内稳态。它还保留了叶绿体结构、细胞核和细胞壁微管，维持了整体细胞完整性和抗氧化效率。我们的研究结果表明，提取物通过其营养和抗氧化特性，为提高小麦对钴污染的抗性提供了一种有前景的新型生物策略。
