Exploring the Impact of Salicylic Acid and Farmyard Manure on Soil Rhizospheric Properties and Cadmium Stress Alleviation in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a growing environmental problem that negatively impacts plant growth and development, particularly in maize. In this research, the impact of farmyard manure (FYM) and salicylic acid (SA) on rhizospheric characteristics and the reduction of Cd stress in maize was examined at Government College (GC) University, Lahore, in 2022. The experiment was arranged with a randomized design, including three replications of 12 treatments (T₁ = Control; T₂ = Farmyard manure; T₃ = Salicylic Acid; T₄ = 100 mg/kg of soil Cd; T₅ = 200 mg/kg of soil Cd; T₆ = Farmyard manure + Salicylic acid; T₇ = FYM + 100 mg/kg soil Cd; T₈ = FYM + 200 mg/kg soil Cd; T₉ = SA + 100 mg/kg soil Cd; T₁₀ = SA + 200 mg/kg soil Cd; T₁₁ = FYM + SA + 100 mg/kg soil Cd; T₁₂ = FYM + SA + 200 mg/kg soil Cd). Results demonstrated that Cd stress negatively affected the maize plant and soil properties, but the application of SA and FYM was effective to mitigate the Cd stress up to a certain level. A reduction of 41.52%, 39.14%, and 39.94% in root length, length of the leaf, and crop growth rate was noticed, due to the Cd stress at 200 mg/kg soil, but this reduction was reduced to 18.83%, 10.35%, and 12.26%, respectively, when FYM and salicylic acid were applied as a combined application under the same stress level of Cd. The root biomass, leaf surface area, and length were all improved by SA and FYM, which enhanced the plant's capacity to absorb nutrients and improve growth under Cd stress. In conclusion, the use of salicylic acid together with farm manure can be an effective approach to mitigate Cd stress in maize crops.