Mitigating chromium stress on pea (Pisum sativum L.) by foliar application of trehalose

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a valuable legume crop known for its high protein content. Heavy metal stress serious issue worldwide that stunted the growth of plants. Little is known about physiological and biochemical study of pea under trehalose and chromium conditions. This study tested how foliar application of trehalose improved the growth of two pea varieties (Supreme and Meteor) under chromium stress.

When pea plants were exposed to 100 µM Cr, shoot fresh weight dropped by 12.4% and 19.2%, root length by 16.2% and 16.1%, and total chlorophyll by 13.6% and 14.3% in Supreme and Meteor, respectively. However, applying 10 mM trehalose improved shoot fresh weight by 18.4% and 19.1%, root dry weight by 59.8% and 46.6%, and total chlorophyll by 29.2% and 19.3%, respectively. Trehalose also lowered hydrogen peroxide by 7.6% and 3.8% and malondialdehyde by 40.0% and 30.1% in Supreme and Meteor. By application of trehalose, antioxidant enzyme activity increased, and ion balance improved root K⁺ by 47.9 and 51.8%, and root Ca²⁺ by 48.1% and 55.8%, while Na⁺ decreased by 24.8% and 35.4%.

Trehalose could be a useful option for growing crops in polluted soils. The broader use of trehalose in regulating important metabolic pathways to heavy metal stress tolerance, should be investigated in future research.