ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Fulvic Acid Observations Associated to Physiology
and Biochemistry on Arsenic Treated
Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.)
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Department of Botany, GC University Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
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Department of Statistics. The University of Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
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Department of Physiotherapy, GC University Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
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College of Agriculture Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255000, China
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Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University,
P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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EPCRS Excellence Center, Plant Pathology and Biotechnology Lab.; Agriculture Botany Department Faculty
of Agriculture, Kafr-el-sheikh University, 33516, Egypt
Submission date: 2024-05-15
Final revision date: 2024-08-11
Acceptance date: 2024-10-07
Online publication date: 2025-01-29
Corresponding author
Tawaf Ali Shah
College of Agriculture Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255000, China
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ABSTRACT
The recent study aimed to determine whether the use of fulvic acid can enhance the inhibitory
effects of arsenic stress on the growth and physiology of wheat, thereby inducing arsenic tolerance in
wheat. One specific variety of wheat, known as Lasani wheat (Triticum aestivum L), was obtained from
the Ayyub Agricultural Research Institute in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Seeds of this variety were planted in
jars filled with sandy loamy soil (dimensions: 25 cm in height, circumference of 20 cm at the top, and
16 cm at the bottom). The research was conducted using a completely randomized design with three
replicates. At the vegetative stage, wheat plants were subjected to one level of arsenic (3 mM) along with
a control group. After 15 days of arsenic treatment, a foliar spray of fulvic acid (1.5 mM) was applied
to the plants. Some plants received no spray, while others were sprayed with water. Tissue samples were
collected after 21 days of treatment to assess growth, physiological, and biochemical characteristics.
The results clearly showed that arsenic stress significantly affected the growth and physiochemical
traits of wheat. Foliar application of fulvic acid increased various growth factors, such as root and shoot
length, fresh and dry weight, and leaf area in wheat. Furthermore, fulvic acid enhanced the activities of
antioxidant enzymes, including POD, SOD, APX, and CAT. It also increased the levels of total soluble
protein, chlorophyll, proline, and total amino acids under arsenic stress. Malondialdehyde and H2O2
levels increased under arsenic stress, but a foliar spray of fulvic acid mitigated the oxidative stress. All experimental data were analyzed using the software COSTAT through analysis of variance
(ANOVA) procedures.