The present study was undertaken to find out individual and interactive effects of arsenic (As) and salicylic acid (SA) on an important medicinal plant, Artemisia annua. As uptake and its accumulation was detected and found to be maximum in roots at higher As concentration (150 μM). Under As treatments, H2O2 and MDA content were induced. Biomass and chlorophyll content were negatively affected under As treatments. Furthermore, enzymatic (SOD, CAT, APX, and GR) and non-enzymatic antioxidants were also enhanced under As treatments. Exogenous application of SA reduced the extent of H2O2 and O2- generation and lipid peroxidation, while reverted biomass and chlorophyll content to overcome oxidative stress. Simultaneous application of SA with As increased endogenous SA level, artemisinin, and dihydroartemisinic acid as compared with individual As treatment and pre-application of SA with As treatments. The expression of four key artemisinin biosynthetic pathway genes, i.e., ADS, CYP71AV1, DBR2, and ALDH1 were upregulated at a maximum in plants simultaneously treated with SA and As. Similar pattern of artemisinin accumulation and glandular trichome size was observed which attest that SA has a stimulatory impact on artemisinin biosynthesis under As stress. Our study suggests that exogenous application of SA and As together induced more tolerance in A. annua than a comparable dose of SA pre-treatment. The study may provide a platform with dual benefits by developing As-tolerant plants to be used for phytoremediation of arsenic from As-contaminated soil and obtaining high artemisinin-producing A. annua plants.
Keywords: Antioxidants; Arsenic; Artemisia annua; Artemisinin; Dihydroartemisinic acid; Salicylic acid; Secondary metabolites.