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Author

Aqil Ahmad

Other affiliations: Higher Colleges of Technology
Bio: Aqil Ahmad is an academic researcher from Aligarh Muslim University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Nitrate reductase & Proline. The author has an hindex of 39, co-authored 94 publications receiving 7756 citations. Previous affiliations of Aqil Ahmad include Higher Colleges of Technology.


Papers
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TL;DR: Review of the literature indicates that a stressful environment results in an overproduction of proline in plants which in turn imparts stress tolerance by maintaining cell turgor or osmotic balance; stabilizing membranes thereby preventing electrolyte leakage; and bringing concentrations of reactive oxygen species within normal ranges, thus preventing oxidative burst in plants.
Abstract: When exposed to stressful conditions, plants accumulate an array of metabolites, particularly amino acids. Amino acids have traditionally been considered as precursors to and constituents of proteins, and play an important role in plant metabolism and development. A large body of data suggests a positive correlation between proline accumulation and plant stress. Proline, an amino acid, plays a highly beneficial role in plants exposed to various stress conditions. Besides acting as an excellent osmolyte, proline plays three major roles during stress, i.e., as a metal chelator, an antioxidative defense molecule and a signaling molecule. Review of the literature indicates that a stressful environment results in an overproduction of proline in plants which in turn imparts stress tolerance by maintaining cell turgor or osmotic balance; stabilizing membranes thereby preventing electrolyte leakage; and bringing concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within normal ranges, thus preventing oxidative burst ...

1,777 citations

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TL;DR: Various intrinsic biosynthetic pathways, interplay of SA and MeSA, its long distance transport and signaling, and the effect of exogenous application of SA on bio-productivity, growth, photosynthesis, plant water relations, various enzyme activities and its effect on the plants exposed to various biotic and abiotic stresses are discussed.

998 citations

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TL;DR: Aqueous solutions of salicylic acid (SA) were applied to the foliage of 30-d-old plants of mustard (Brassica juncea Czern & Coss cv. Varuna).
Abstract: Aqueous solutions of salicylic acid (SA) were applied to the foliage of 30-d-old plants of mustard (Brassica juncea Czern & Coss cv. Varuna). The plants sprayed with the lowest used concentration (10−5 M) of SA were healthier than those sprayed with water only or with higher concentrations of SA (10−4 or 10−3 M). 60-d-old plants possessed 8.4, 9.8, 9.3, 13.0 and 18.5 % larger dry mass, net photosynthetic rate, carboxylation efficiency, and activities of nitrate reductase and carbonic anhydrase over the control, respectively. Moreover, the number of pods and the seed yield increased by 13.7 and 8.4 % over the control.

442 citations

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TL;DR: In this article, the change in plant growth, photosynthesis, carbonic anhydrase, nitrate reductase and antioxidative enzymes resulting from the feeding of cadmium and/or 28-homobrassinolide (HBL) to Brassica juncea were studied in 60-day-old plants.

347 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review article encompasses the dual behavior of Ni in plants emphasizing its systemic partitioning, essentiality and ill effects and the core mechanism of molecules involved is still elusive, and varies among the plants.
Abstract: Nickel even though recognized as a trace element, its metabolism is very decisive for certain enzyme activities, maintaining proper cellular redox state and various other biochemical, physiological and growth responses. Study of the aspects related with uptake, transport and distributive localization of Ni is very important in various cellular metabolic processes particularly under increased nitrogen metabolism. This review article, in core, encompasses the dual behavior of Ni in plants emphasizing its systemic partitioning, essentiality and ill effects. However, the core mechanism of molecules involved and the successive physiological conditions required starting from the soil absorption, neutralization and toxicity generated is still elusive, and varies among the plants.

332 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The biochemistry of ROS and their production sites, and ROS scavenging antioxidant defense machinery are described, which protects plants against oxidative stress damages.

8,259 citations

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TL;DR: This review gives details about some heavy metals and their toxicity mechanisms, along with their health effects.
Abstract: Heavy metal toxicity has proven to be a major threat and there are several health risks associated with it. The toxic effects of these metals, even though they do not have any biological role, remain present in some or the other form harmful for the human body and its proper functioning. They sometimes act as a pseudo element of the body while at certain times they may even interfere with metabolic processes. Few metals, such as aluminium, can be removed through elimination activities, while some metals get accumulated in the body and food chain, exhibiting a chronic nature. Various public health measures have been undertaken to control, prevent and treat metal toxicity occurring at various levels, such as occupational exposure, accidents and environmental factors. Metal toxicity depends upon the absorbed dose, the route of exposure and duration of exposure, i.e. acute or chronic. This can lead to various disorders and can also result in excessive damage due to oxidative stress induced by free radical formation. This review gives details about some heavy metals and their toxicity mechanisms, along with their health effects.

3,580 citations

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TL;DR: Metal contamination represents a long-standing, widespread and recalcitrant selection pressure with both environmental and clinical importance that potentially contributes to the maintenance and spread of antibiotic resistance factors.

1,400 citations

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TL;DR: The evidence that supports the role of SA during plant growth and development is reviewed by comparing experiments performed by exogenous application of SA with analysis of genotypes affected by SA levels and/or perception.
Abstract: In recent years salicylic acid (SA) has been the focus of intensive research due to its function as an endogenous signal mediating local and systemic plant defence responses against pathogens. It has also been found that SA plays a role during the plant response to abiotic stresses such as drought, chilling, heavy metal toxicity, heat, and osmotic stress. In this sense, SA appears to be, just like in mammals, an 'effective therapeutic agent' for plants. Besides this function during biotic and abiotic stress, SA plays a crucial role in the regulation of physiological and biochemical processes during the entire lifespan of the plant. The discovery of its targets and the understanding of its molecular modes of action in physiological processes could help in the dissection of the complex SA signalling network, confirming its important role in both plant health and disease. Here, the evidence that supports the role of SA during plant growth and development is reviewed by comparing experiments performed by exogenous application of SA with analysis of genotypes affected by SA levels and/or perception.

1,122 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Various intrinsic biosynthetic pathways, interplay of SA and MeSA, its long distance transport and signaling, and the effect of exogenous application of SA on bio-productivity, growth, photosynthesis, plant water relations, various enzyme activities and its effect on the plants exposed to various biotic and abiotic stresses are discussed.

998 citations