TY  - EJOU
AU  - Boorboori, Mohammad Reza 
AU  - Zhang, Haiyang 

TI  - Role of Nitric Oxide in Mitigating Cadmium Stress in Plants: Mechanisms and Perspectives
T2  - Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany

PY  - 2026
VL  - 95
IS  - 6
SN  - 1851-5657

AB  - Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal pollutant released from various human activities including industrial production and agricultural practices. This pollutant adversely affects plant physiology by damaging root systems, inhibiting photosynthesis, and inducing oxidative stress through the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This review highlights the critical role of nitric oxide (NO) as a key signaling molecule that enhances plant tolerance to cadmium stress. The application of exogenous NO effectively alleviates Cd toxicity by stimulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), scavenging harmful ROS, and preventing membrane damage. Furthermore, NO improves nutrient absorption and photosynthetic efficiency under Cd stress. The review also explores the complex interactions between NO and other phytohormones, including auxin and brassinosteroids, especially in regulating root development under stressful conditions. Despite these protective effects, the review concludes that further investigations are needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms of NO signaling, its concentration-dependent responses, and its specific crosstalk with other plant signaling molecules.
KW  - Cadmium; nitric oxide; stress reduction; plants; mechanisms

DO  - 10.32604/phyton.2026.082409