Plant Science Research, Vol. 38, 2016

Cadmium modulated defense of rice plant against fungal blast (Pyricularia oryzae Cav.) as evident by morphological and physiological changes

Cadmium at lower concentration induces resistance to rice plants against Pyricularia oryzae.  Seeds of Oryza sativa var. Khandagiri were tested in hydroponics treated with 50μM of CdCl2‚  against control and infected with Pyricularia oryzae (casual organism of rice leaf blast).  Morphological and physiological changes were monitored in 7d, 15d and 21d intervals after  treatment with fungus. Significant decrease of plant height, chlorophyll pigment, carotenoids  and increase of proline content were noticed in fungal treated plants that became normalized  near control in co-stress plants. It was evident from the experiments that lower dose application  of Cd provides resistant to rice against fungal pathogen.