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Published on: September 19, 2025
Proline seed priming enhanced kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) cadmium tolerance by modulating physio-biochemical
Caijin Wang1, Meng Wang1, Yan Liu1
1Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Breeding and Germplasm Innovation, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China.
Abstract:
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal with high biotoxicity that inhibits plant growth processes. Seed priming has important applications in crop production, as it promotes crop growth and stress tolerance, and improves both yield and quality. However, the mechanism by which Proline (Pro) priming modulates the seed response to Cd stress during kenaf seedling development remains unclear and lacks in-depth research. In this study, we examined the priming treatment of kenaf seeds with different concentrations of Pro and investigated the physiological and biochemical mechanisms of Pro-priming-induced antioxidant enzyme activity in kenaf under Cd stress. The results showed that Pro priming significantly enhanced the Cd tolerance of kenaf seedlings, with the best effect achieved with the 5 mM Pro priming treatment. Compared with the control group under Cd stress, Pro priming significantly increased the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase in kenaf seedlings, while significantly reducing the contents of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide anion (O2 -). In addition, Pro priming promoted the absorption of essential nutrients, including N, P, Zn, and Fe. Moreover, the differentially expressed gene HcMC9 was functionally analyzed via the virus-induced gene silencing technique, and the results showed that silencing HcMC9 significantly reduced Cd tolerance in kenaf. Conversely, overexpression of HcMC9 significantly enhanced the Cd tolerance in Arabidopsis, and the exogenous Pro application further improved Cd tolerance. Collectively, our study supports the application of Pro priming in agricultural production to enhance crop Cd stress tolerance and improve crop performance.
Supplementary Information:
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-026-01766-8.
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