Moringa oleifera smoke induced positive changes in biochemical, metabolic, and antioxidant profile of rice seedling under cadmium stress

Cadmium as a heavy metal contaminates the agricultural soil and effect plant growth due to rapid increases in industrialization and anthropogenic activities. Smoke water of Moringa oleifera was used in the current study to alleviate the effect of cadmium on the physiological, biochemical, metabolic, and antioxidant profile of Basmati 385 and Shaheen Basmati seedling. Cadmium stress of 100, 200, and 400 µM were given to 28 days-old seedlings along with smoke water (1:1,000) for one week in hydroponic culture. As a result, Cd⁺² toxicity negatively affects the seedling length, fresh and dry weight, photosynthetic pigment, and electrolytes leakage, while the application of smoke water alleviated those effects. Furthermore, Cd⁺² content, cell injury, metabolic parameters (proline, total soluble sugar), and antioxidants (peroxidase, catalase) were increased with increasing Cd⁺² concentration while smoke water-treated seedlings showed reduction at high concentration. From present study, it can be concluded that smoke water had some regulatory compound which could reduce the Cd⁺² stress level in rice seedlings and improve plant growth.