24-epibrassinolide regulated diminution of Cr metal toxicity in Brassica juncea L. plants

The present work was undertaken to study the effects of 24-epibrassinolide (0, 10-10, 10-8 and 10-6 M) on growth (shoot length and number of leaves), protein content and activities of antioxidative enzymes [guaiacol peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2), ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11), superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1), monodehydroascorbate reductase (EC 1.1.5.4) and dehydroascorbate reductase (EC 1.8.5.1)] in leaves of 60 days-old Brassica juncea L. plants treated with different concentrations of Cr metal. It was observed that treatment of different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mM) of Cr metal alone decreased the shoot length and number of leaves and regulated the enzyme activities and protein concentration of plants. However, seed-presoaking treatments of 24-epibrassinolide improved the growth and stimulated the activities of antioxidant enzymes and protein content in leaves of B. juncea plants thus indicating the stress-ameliorative properties of 24-epibrassinolide.