Physiological and transcriptomic analyses of cadmium stress response in Dendrobium officinale seedling

Abstract Dendrobium officinale is an economically important Chinese herb with ornamental and medicinal values. However, the mechanisms by which D. officinale adapts to cadmium (Cd) stress is unknown. Here, physiological changes in D. officinale roots and leaves exposed to increasing levels of Cd stress (CdSO4 concentration of 2, 5, 9, 14 mg L−1) were analyzed at 7, 15, 30, and 45 days after treatment. The Cd stress of 14 mg L−1 significantly increased the levels of antioxidants and induced malondialdehyde and proline accumulation (P