UNLABELLED

Cadmium (Cd) is a harmful heavy metal that is not essential for either plants or humans. However, there is limited knowledge about the potential use of zeolite and nano-zeolite in alleviating Cd-induced stress in plants, particularly in L. This study aimed to investigate how the application of zeolite and nano-zeolite affects various traits of Jimsonweed under Cd toxicity stress. Key aspects examined included plant growth, Cd absorption, relative water content of leaves (RWC), photosynthetic pigments, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, hydrogen peroxide (HO) levels, proline, nitrogen content, and the activity of the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The Jimsonweed plants successfully grew from the onset of cultivation, even in soil contaminated with Cd. They were subjected to various levels of zeolite and nano-zeolite during their growth. Exposure to Cd resulted in decreased root and shoot dry weight, lower nitrogen content in leaves, reduced levels of photosynthetic pigments and RWC, and increased Cd accumulation in the roots, particularly within the shoots. Higher Cd transfer to the shoots was accompanied by elevated levels of HO, MDA, proline, and enhanced GST enzyme activity. In contrast, the use of zeolite and nano-zeolite had a significant positive impact on several aspects of the plants. It significantly ( < 0.05) increased root and shoot dry weight, leaf nitrogen content, levels of photosynthetic pigments, proline, GST activity, and RWC. Moreover, it effectively reduced damage caused by lipid peroxidation and HO. Furthermore, the application of zeolite resulted in decreased concentrations of Cd in plant tissues and inhibited the transfer and accumulation of Cd in the shoots. The findings indicated that Jimsonweed can accumulate Cd. Additionally, using zeolite, especially nano-zeolite, can effectively limit Cd absorption. Both zeolite and nano-zeolite treatments led to higher accumulations of hyoscyamine and scopolamine, with increases of 67% and 71% over the control, respectively, when exposed to 200 mg/kg of Cd. In conclusion, Jimsonweed has the potential to be used in remediating Cd-contaminated soils. The application of zeolite and nano-zeolite not only helps purify Cd-contaminated soil and reduces the accumulation and transfer of Cd but also enhances the activity of alkaloids and antioxidants, thereby protecting against the damaging effects of Cd-induced stress.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04442-y.