Naringenin reduces Cd-induced toxicity in Vigna radiata (mungbean)

Cadmium (Cd) has an inhibitory effect on the morphology, vegetative growth, and biochemical accumulation of plants including mungbean. The polyphenolic metabolites of the phenylpropanoid pathway, especially flavonoids, are known to promote Cd stress tolerance in plants. However, the potential of flavonoid precursor, naringenin for Cd tolerance has not been reported in mungbean. The present study documents the significant role of naringenin towards mungbean protein bioavailability and solubility. The protein accumulation, bioavailability, and solubility of Cd-stressed mungbean was increased by 20, 94, and 12 % respectively, on naringenin exposure. Exogenous naringenin alleviated the Cd toxicity-induced morphological and biochemical alterations of mungbean. The naringenin-mediated enhancement in chlorophyll was found to increase fresh biomass and carbohydrate accumulation of Cd-stressed mungbean by 53 and 0.9- 2.1 %. Furthermore, naringenin rescued the Cd reduced non-enzymatic antioxidant potential in terms of 30 and 32 % increment in the polyphenolics and flavonoids accumulation. However, naringenin reduced enzymatic antioxidants and enhanced the lipid peroxidation of mungbean. Therefore, in the prevailing condition of multiple and concomitant stresses induced by global climate change, seed treatment with phytochemicals like naringenin can be a novel strategy for heavy metal stress tolerance in legumes including mungbean.