Abstract
Current study deals with the assuaging effects of two phytohormones; indole acetic acid (IAA; 290 nM) and kinetin (KN; 10 nM) on growth, phycobiliproteins, status of nitrogen metabolism and biochemical constituents; protein, carbohydrate and exopolysaccharide contents in two diazotrophic cyanobacteria Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena exposed to chromium (CrVI) stress (100 µM and 150 µM). Chromium individually at both the tested doses expressively declined the growth, chlorophyll a to carotenoid ratio and contents of phycobiliproteins; phycocyanin (PC), allophycocyanin (APC), and phycoerythrin (PE). With distinctive impact on status of nitrogen metabolism chromium significantly reduced the nitrate (NO3—) and nitrite (NO2—) uptake rate and foremost decrease in nitrate and ammonia assimilating enzyme; nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT) except glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). However, beneath alike condition, exogenous application of IAA and KN exhibited noteworthy assuaging effects on growth-regulating parameters in both the paddy field cyanobacteria, which consummately occurred as a result of substantial decrease in Cr uptake and inducing signaling responses and also enhances the growth parameter i.e. nitrogen metabolism as a result of considerable lowering in Cr induced damaging effect on nitrogen metabolism and uptake rate, and the alleviating effect was more pronounced with the lower dose of Cr, efficient in N.muscorum than Anabaena.