Open Access

ARTICLE

RAPD Marker Associations and Antioxidant Enzyme Responses of Houttuynia cordata Germplasms under Lead Stress

Yi Yan^1,2,#, Min He^1,2,#, Feifeng Mao³, Xinyu Zhang⁴, Liyu Wang⁵, Jingwei Li^1,2,*

1 Vegetable Industry Research Institute, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550000, China
2 Agricultural College, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550000, China
3 Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guizhou Province, Guiyang, 550000, China
4 Fruit and Vegetable Technical Guidance Station, Wusheng County, Wusheng, 638499, China
5 Agricultural and Rural Bureau, Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Duyun, 558000, China

* Corresponding Author: Jingwei Li. Email:
# These authors contributed equally to this work

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Plant Breeding and Genetic Improvement: Leveraging Molecular Markers and Novel Genetic Strategies)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2025, 94(10), 3003-3021. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.069166

Received 16 June 2025; Accepted 04 September 2025; Issue published 29 October 2025

Abstract

Houttuynia cordata, a characteristic edible and medicinal plant in southwestern China, is prone to absorbing lead (Pb²⁺). Excessive consumption may lead to Pb²⁺ accumulation in the human body, which has been linked to serious health risks such as neurotoxicity, kidney damage, anemia, and developmental disorders, particularly in children. Therefore, the development of molecular markers associated with Pb²⁺ uptake and the investigation of the plant’s physiological responses to Pb²⁺ pollution are of great significance. In this study, 72 H. cordata germplasms were evaluated for Pb²⁺ accumulation after exogenous Pb²⁺ treatment. A significant variation in Pb²⁺ content was observed among the germplasms, indicating rich genetic diversity. Using RAPD markers, seven loci were identified to be significantly associated with Pb²⁺ uptake, with locus 43 (R² = 6.72%) and locus 53 (R² = 5.39%) showing the strongest correlations. Marker validation was performed using five low- and five high-accumulating accessions. Two representative germplasms were further subjected to 0, 500 and 1000 mg/kg Pb²⁺ treatments for 40 days. Pb²⁺ content, membrane lipid peroxidation, and redox enzyme activities (SOD, POD and CAT) were measured across different organs. Organs with greater soil contact (roots) exhibited higher Pb²⁺ accumulation and oxidative damage. POD and CAT activities were markedly induced by Pb²⁺ stress, while SOD response was limited. This study provides a theoretical foundation for breeding low Pb²⁺-accumulating H. cordata varieties through marker-assisted selection (MAS) and supports their safe use and application in phytoremediation.

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