γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) supplementation modulates phosphorus retention, production of carbon metabolites and defense metabolism under arsenic toxicity in wheat

Arsenic (As) stress has been incessantly degrading crop productivity, and thereafter leading to the increasing grave conditions pertaining to the unsustainable food production. In plants, As stress has been considered as one of the serious phytotoxins persisting in the environment, endangering crop shelf life through competing with phosphorus availability. The withholding of As in the staple crop, wheat (Triticum aestivum), is the major concern. It has been advocated the significance of plant signaling molecules, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), in mediating plant health response to environmental stresses, but their impacts on As contamination in wheat plants from the perspective of growth and physiological tolerance still remain ambiguous at present. The present study investigated the significance of GABA supplementation in wheat plants on phosphorus and carbon metabolisms, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, As accumulation, defense systems, and growth responses under As stress. In this study, GABA supplementation aided in the retention of phosphorus and carbon metabolites, sustained photosynthetic traits, and considerably modulated both chloroplastic and mitochondrial ATPase activity under As stress. Further, As-induced oxidative stress injuries were recovered through the activation of defense metabolites, and suppressed oxidative stress markers and As accumulation, which was found concomitant with the improved As tolerance index. Thus, this investigation offers insightful information that might be useful in future investigations to develop wheat tolerance to withstand under As-contaminated environments.