Anti-oxidant response of Cucumis sativus L. to fungicide carbendazim

Our purpose in this research was to determine the response of anti-oxidative enzymes of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) when carbendazim applied as soil drench at 0, 5, 50, and 100 mg kg−1. The changes in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzymes were measured in roots, stems, and leaves of cucumber. The plants were sampling at cotyledon phase (14 days) and florescence phase (56 days). A strong correlation between anti-oxidant content and carbendazim concentration was observed. As concentration increased, the activities of SOD and CAT increased in roots and leaves. While in stems, SOD and CAT activities were increased in florescence phase and declined in cotyledon phase. The content of GPX increased in stems, and declined in leaves. Higher levels of SOD, CAT, and GPX were observed in cucumber cotyledons than the older leaves. The present study suggested that carbendazim treatments had different effects on cucumber anti-oxidant system in different tissues. It was concluded that cotyledons might play an important role for adaptation as the carbendazim concentration increased, and the ability of mature cucumber to maintain a balance between the formation and detoxification of activated oxygen species appeared likely to enhance. On the basis of our observations, we conclude that increased SOD, CAT and GPX activity provides plant with increased carbendazim stress tolerance.