Exogenous polyamines alleviate the lipid peroxidation induced by cadmium chloride stress in Malus hupehensis Rehd.

In order to investigate the effects of spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) on the stress of cadmium chloride (CdCl2), it was checked that the content of polyamines and malondialdehyde (MDA), the rate of superoxide anion (O2−) generation and the activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) in 1-year-old Malus hupehensis Rehd. var. pinyiensisJiang (tea crabapple) seedlings grown in nutrient solution. The result showed that the content of free putrescine (Put) was increased, the contents of free Spd and Spm and the (Spd + Spm)/Put ratio in leaves were decreased significantly under CdCl2 treatment. Foliar spraying with Spd or Spm under CdCl2 treatment, the accumulation of free Put reduced, the contents of free Spd and Spm and the ratio of (Spd + Spm)/Put in leaves increased significantly. The activities of SOD and GPX in leaves were enhanced and O2− generation rate and MDA content were decreased significantly by foliar spraying with Spd or Spm under CdCl2 treatment. Results suggest that both Spd and Spm can alleviate the lipid peroxidation caused by CdCl2 in M. hupehensis var.pinyiensis.