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Background and aims <p>Arsenic contamination in agricultural soils severely restricts crop productivity and threatens food safety. Calcium, a key secondary messenger involved in plant stress signaling, may alleviate heavy metal toxicity, yet its role in arsenic detoxification in <i>Ocimum basilicum</i> L. remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of calcium supplementation on growth, photosynthetic performance, oxidative stress, and structural stability in <i>O. basilicum</i> subjected to arsenic stress.</p> Methods <p>A controlled pot experiment was conducted using <i>O. basilicum</i> exposed to arsenic at 5 and 10&#xa0;mg&#xa0;kg<sup>−1</sup>, with or without 10&#xa0;mM foliar calcium. Physiological and biochemical parameters, photosynthetic traits, ROS production, antioxidant responses, and enzymatic activities were assessed. Structural and metabolic changes were further validated through histochemical staining, confocal microscopy, SEM, and GC–MS analyses.</p> Results <p>Arsenic at 10&#xa0;mg&#xa0;kg<sup>−1</sup> caused substantial reductions in SPAD value, photosynthetic parameters (<i>P</i><sub><i>N</i></sub><i>, gs, Ci, E</i>), and key enzymes (carbonic anhydrase, Rubisco, nitrate reductase). Elevated H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, O<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup>, and MDA levels confirmed enhanced oxidative stress. Calcium supplementation, particularly to 5&#xa0;mg&#xa0;kg<sup>−1</sup> As, improved photosynthetic efficiency, restored enzyme activities, and reduced ROS accumulation. Structural imaging and GC–MS profiling further confirmed reduced oxidative damage, better leaf microstructure, and improved essential oil composition in Ca-treated plants.</p> Conclusion <p>Exogenous calcium application mitigates arsenic-induced toxicity in <i>O. basilicum</i> by significantly improving growth performance, photosynthetic capacity, antioxidant defense system, and cellular integrity, underscoring its critical role as an effective strategy for sustaining <i>O. basilicum</i> cultivation in arsenic-contaminated environments.</p>

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Calcium-mediated regulation of arsenic-induced toxicity and ROS Homeostasis in Ocimum basilicum L.

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月26日

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  • Asif Hussain Hajam,
  • Gausiya Bashri

摘要

Background and aims

Arsenic contamination in agricultural soils severely restricts crop productivity and threatens food safety. Calcium, a key secondary messenger involved in plant stress signaling, may alleviate heavy metal toxicity, yet its role in arsenic detoxification in Ocimum basilicum L. remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of calcium supplementation on growth, photosynthetic performance, oxidative stress, and structural stability in O. basilicum subjected to arsenic stress.

Methods

A controlled pot experiment was conducted using O. basilicum exposed to arsenic at 5 and 10 mg kg−1, with or without 10 mM foliar calcium. Physiological and biochemical parameters, photosynthetic traits, ROS production, antioxidant responses, and enzymatic activities were assessed. Structural and metabolic changes were further validated through histochemical staining, confocal microscopy, SEM, and GC–MS analyses.

Results

Arsenic at 10 mg kg−1 caused substantial reductions in SPAD value, photosynthetic parameters (PN, gs, Ci, E), and key enzymes (carbonic anhydrase, Rubisco, nitrate reductase). Elevated H2O2, O2−, and MDA levels confirmed enhanced oxidative stress. Calcium supplementation, particularly to 5 mg kg−1 As, improved photosynthetic efficiency, restored enzyme activities, and reduced ROS accumulation. Structural imaging and GC–MS profiling further confirmed reduced oxidative damage, better leaf microstructure, and improved essential oil composition in Ca-treated plants.

Conclusion

Exogenous calcium application mitigates arsenic-induced toxicity in O. basilicum by significantly improving growth performance, photosynthetic capacity, antioxidant defense system, and cellular integrity, underscoring its critical role as an effective strategy for sustaining O. basilicum cultivation in arsenic-contaminated environments.