Effects of exopolysaccharides on rice seed germination and sugar metabolism under cadmium stress

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20250338

Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (6): 1164-1176.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-1524.20250338

• Crop Science • Previous Articles Next Articles

Effects of exopolysaccharides on rice seed germination and sugar metabolism under cadmium stress

JIANG Nan^a(), DENG Xinyao^a, ZHONG Min^a^,^b, CHENG Xin^a^,^b^,^*()

a. College of Biological Science and Engineering; b. Institute of Applied Microbiology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China

Received:2025-04-25 Online:2026-06-25 Published:2026-07-14

Abstract

Abstract:

A hydroponic experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of exopolysaccharides (EPS) on the growth,development and sugar metabolism of rice seeds during germination under cadmium (Cd) stress were investigated using hydroponics, with reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitor was used to explore the signaling role of ROS in this process. The results showed that Cd stress severely inhibited rice seed germination, particularly root development. However, EPS supplementation significantly altered root architecture under Cd stress and promoted root elongation. ROS played a crucial regulatory role in seed germination, and reducing ROS levels strongly suppressed root growth. Cd stress moderately enhanced amylase activity during germination, while severely inhibiting the activities of key enzyines in the glycolytic pathway and reducing the contents of monosaccharides (e.g., glucose). Exogenous EPS notably altered pyruvate kinase and phosphofructokinase activities under Cd stress, suggesting that rice adapts to Cd stress by enhancing starch degradation and modulating sugar metabolism. Reducing ROS levels also increased total amylase and β-amylase activities, while significantly affecting sugar metabolic rates. ROS exhibited stage-dependent regulatory effects on the glycolytic pathway during rice germination. In summary, EPS effectively alleviated Cd-induced inhibition of rice seed germination, particularly in root morphology. The regulation of sugar metabolism may be a key mechanism underlying EPS bioactivity, with ROS likely serving as an important signaling molecule in this process.

Key words: rice, seed germination, reactive oxygen species, cadmium, exopolysaccharides

CLC Number:

S511

JIANG Nan, DENG Xinyao, ZHONG Min, CHENG Xin. Effects of exopolysaccharides on rice seed germination and sugar metabolism under cadmium stress[J]. Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis, 2026, 38(6): 1164-1176.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig.1 Effect of exopolysaccharides(EPS) on rice seed germination under cadmium stress Bars under the same cadmium concentration treatment marked without the same lowercase letter indicates significant (p<0.05) differences. The same as Fig.2.

Fig.2 Effects of exopolysaccharides(EPS) on the content of soluble sugars and proteins in rice seedling roots under cadmium stress

Fig.3 Changes of reactive oxygen species content in rice seed under different treatments EPS, Exopolysaccharides; DPI, Diphenyleneiodonium chloride. Bars of the same treatment time marked without the same lowercase letter indicates significant (p<0.05) differences. The same as Fig.4-7.

Fig.4 Germination and growth of rice seed under different treatments

Fig.5 Starch content and amylase activity during rice seed germination under different treatments

Fig.6 Changes in soluble sugar content during rice seed germination under different treatments The total sugar content is the sum up of content of sucrose, glucose and fructose.

Fig.7 Changes in key enzyme activities of sugar metabolism pathways during rice seed germination under different treatments

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Effects of exopolysaccharides on rice seed germination and sugar metabolism under cadmium stress

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