ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Abiotic Stress
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovative Integration of Stress Physiology and Biotechnological Tools for Mitigating Metal Stress in PlantsView all 5 articles
Modulatory Role of Nitric Oxide in Cobalt-Induced Stress in Two Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Varieties: A Physiological Approach
Provisionally accepted
- 1Kocaeli University, İzmit, Türkiye
- 2Kocaeli University Izmit Vocational School, Kocaeli, Türkiye
- 3Canakkale Onsekiz Mart Universitesi Ziraat Fakultesi, Çanakkale, Türkiye
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Cobalt (Co) toxicity poses a serious constraint on plant growth by inducing oxidative stress and disrupting cellular and physiological processes. This study investigated the interactive effects of Co and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, on two lettuce varieties (Lactuca sativa L.): curly (var. crispa) and Romaine (var. longifolia) under controlled hydroponic conditions. Plants were exposed to Co and SNP treatments, and growth parameters, oxidative stress indicators, antioxidant enzyme activities, and Co accumulation in roots and shoots were evaluated. Co exposure markedly reduced shoot and root biomass and increased membrane permeability, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), proline accumulation, and Co concentrations in both varieties. Co+SNP application partially alleviated Co-induced stress relative to Co treatment alone, as evidenced by moderated membrane permeability (MP), reduced lipid peroxidation (MDA), and modulation of antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT and APX), particularly in Romaine lettuce. In contrast, the response of curly lettuce to SNP application was limited, likely due to its higher Co accumulation and greater oxidative burden. Overall, the results demonstrate genotype-dependent responses to SNP application under high-dose Co stress. Although SNP modulated several stress-related parameters, Co accumulation in edible shoot tissues highlights potential food safety concerns. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted within the context of controlled hydroponic systems and provide insight into genotype-dependent stress responses rather than recommendations for food production in Co-contaminated environments.
Keywords: Accumulation, Antioxidant Enzymes, CO toxicity, Growth, Lettuce, Nitric Oxide, Oxidative Stress
Received: 23 Oct 2025; Accepted: 04 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 SAMET and Çıkılı. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Halil SAMET
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