Protective Role of GABA in Aromatic Rice Under Lead and Cadmium Toxicity: Physiological and Biochemical Insights

Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) severely impair rice growth, yield, and grain quality. This study assessed the role of exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mitigating Pb and Cd toxicity in aromatic rice ‘Guixiangzhan’. Treatments included the control (no Pb, Cd, or GABA), GABA (1 mM), Pb (800 mg/kg of soil)+GABA, Cd (75 mg/kg of soil)+GABA, Pb+Cd+GABA, Pb, Cd, and Pb+Cd without GABA. GABA improved chlorophyll and carotenoid, protein, proline and GABA contents whilst reducing oxidative stress under Pb/Cd toxicity. GABA application regulated antioxidant enzyme activities, net photosynthesis, and gas exchange, while its effects on nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase were variable. Compared with Pb+Cd, the grain yields were 34.03%, 31.94%, 15.88%, 24.86%, and 17.32% higher in (Pb, Cd, Pb+Cd)+GABA, Pb, and Cd treatments, respectively. Furthermore, GABA reduced Pb and Cd accumulation in aboveground parts, while Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn levels varied across treatments. Cd translocation was more from root-to-leaves, while Pb translocation was more from leaves-to-grains. Grain Pb and Cd positively correlated with their root, stem, and leaf contents but negatively with mineral nutrients. Overall, exogenous GABA mitigated Pb and Cd toxicity in aromatic rice.