Melatonin mitigates cadmium-induced oxidative damage and modulates polysaccharide biosynthesis in <i>Bletilla striata</i>.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Cadmium (Cd), a highly toxic heavy metal, threatens ecosystems and human health. Bletilla striata (B. striata), a medicinal plant valued for its polysaccharide-rich rhizomes, exhibits significant tolerance to Cd stress. Melatonin (MT), a phytohormone, has emerged as a key regulator of plant resilience to heavy metal toxicity. However, the mechanisms underlying MT-mediated biosynthesis of B. striata polysaccharides (BSP) under Cd exposure, as well as its role in alleviating Cd-induced oxidative damage, remain poorly characterized.

Methods

Soil was passivated with 250 μmol/L CdCl₂ ·2.5H₂O for one month before transplanting one-year-old B. striata seedlings. One week after transplantation

SUBMITTER: Niu D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12689973 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature