AUTHOR=Aslam Muhammad Ashfaq , Ahmed Shakil , Saleem Muhammad , Shah Anis Ali , Shah Adnan Noor , Tanveer Mohsin , Ali Hayssam M. , Ghareeb Rehab Y. , Hasan Mohammad E. , Khan Jallat 

TITLE=Quercetin ameliorates chromium toxicity through improvement in photosynthetic activity, antioxidative defense system; and suppressed oxidative stress in Trigonella corniculata L.

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.956249

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.956249

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Environmental stresses, including heavy metals accumulation, have posed an immense threat to the agricultural ecosystem, leading to a reduction in the yield of crucial crops. In this study, we evaluated the role of quercetin (Qu) in the alleviation of chromium (Cr) stress in Fenugreek (<italic>Trigonella corniculata</italic> L.). Different levels of Qu were prepared during the experiment, i.e., 15, 25, and 40 μM. For Cr toxification in potted soil, potassium chromate (K<sub>2</sub>Cr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub>) was used. Cr toxification reduced growth of <italic>T. corniculata</italic> seedlings. Cr stress also reduced fiber, ash, moisture, carbohydrate, protein, fats, and flavonoid contents. However, seed priming with Qu improved growth and physiochemical characteristics of <italic>T. corniculata</italic> seedlings grown in normal and Cr-contaminated soil. Seed priming with Qu escalated intercellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and photosynthetic rate in <italic>T. corniculata</italic> seedlings. Application of Qu also increased the activity of antioxidative enzymes, i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and peroxidase (POD) in <italic>T. corniculata</italic> seedlings exposed to normal and Cr-contaminated soil. Application of Qu incremented the activity of SOD, POD, CAT, and APX, which were increased by 28, 22, 29, and 33%, respectively, in <italic>T. corniculata</italic> grown in Cr-toxic soil as compared to control treatment. Chromium stress alleviation was credited to the enhanced activity of the antioxidative defensive system in <italic>T. corniculata</italic> seedlings. It is proposed that Qu supplementation can be used to mitigate other abiotic stresses in plants.</p>