Alleviating Cadmium-Induced Phytotoxicity in Wheat Through Synergistic Biofertilizer and Metal Complex Interventions

Abstract

This study examines the use of biofertilizers and a particular metal complex to reduce cadmium (Cd) stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiment, which was carried out using a randomized block design (RBD), assessed a number of physiological and biochemical parameters over 50 and 100-day growth intervals. These parameters included plant height, the number of leaves and roots, total protein content (TPC), the concentration of total amino acids (TAA), and catalase (CAT) activity. A common environmental contaminant, cadmium, was added in amounts ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 mM. The findings demonstrated that rising Cd levels considerably hampered plant metabolism and morphology, lowering growth markers and protein synthesis while raising oxidative stress. However, by encouraging nutrient uptake and antioxidant enzyme activity, biofertilizer treatments especially those that included nitrogen-fixing bacteria like Azotobacter and Azospirillum significantly increased plant height, leaf and root counts, and stress resilience. In a similar vein, applying a metal complex improved biochemical indicators and offered moderate protection, but less successfully than biofertilizers. While catalase activity dramatically increased in treated plants, suggesting greater oxidative stress tolerance, total amino acids increased under stress, acting as osmoprotectants. Both biofertilizer and metal complex interventions considerably reduced Cd-induced toxicity, according to statistical studies. However, under Cd stress, biofertilizers continuously outperformed metal complexes in the majority of metrics, exhibiting greater efficacy in preserving structural integrity, metabolic function, and general plant health. In order to increase food security and lessen reliance on chemical fertilizers, this study emphasizes the potential of combining plant and microbial biotechnologies for sustainable crop development in contaminated soils.