Multifaceted role of  osmoprotectant glycine betaine to ameliorate Cd and As toxicity by modulation of growth and biochemical indices in wheat plants

Arsenic (As) and Cadmium (Cd) contamination is a pressing global issue spanning environmental, agricultural, and health domains, primarily due to their highly toxic and carcinogenic nature. Exposure of plants to Cd and As stress can induce numerous morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes. Glycine betaine (GB) plays a vital role in alleviating abiotic stresses by acting as a potent compatible solute. This study evaluated the effectiveness of GB (5 mM) treatment in wheat plants (HD2967 and HD3086) in mitigating the toxicity caused by Cd (1100 ppm) and As (225 ppm). Cd and As toxicity markedly suppressed growth parameters such as root-shoot length, plant biomass, and biochemical attributes (total protein and carbohydrate). It also decreases the germination rate and seed viability. Simultaneously, Cd and As stress conditions significantly elevated the concentrations of stress-specific parameters (phenol, MDA, and proline Content) in wheat plants. Conversely, the external application of GB alleviated the detrimental impacts of Cd and As stress by enhancing the growth characteristics, biomass, germination rate, and biochemical attributes. Additionally, GB treatment reduces the concentration of stress-specific parameters and suggests GB acts as a stress resilience. In conclusion, data revealed that applying GB can mitigate or lessen the toxic effects induced by Cd and As stress in both varieties, leading to positive modulation of plant growth performance and reduction of oxidative stress by reducing the concentration of the stress-specific biomarker. Thus, the current research suggests that GB application may benefit crops vulnerable to Cd and As toxicity by enhancing growth and biochemical attributes, ultimately resulting in yield.