Salinity stress is one of the major concerns for agricultural productivity loss. Continuous changes in global climate, urbanization, and anthropogenic activities pose a serious threat to crop production and, in turn, lead to revenue losses. Recent evidence suggests that low-dose exposure to certain toxic elements can induce hermetic responses, thereby en-hancing plant stress tolerance. Heavy metal (HM) stress is a critical factor for maintaining soil health. High HM concentrations in soil disrupt plant growth and development. However, at low or sub-lethal concentrations, they act as major growth boosters. In the present study, attempts were made to unravel the interaction between heavy metals and salinity in crops. In the study, a low dose of cadmium (Cd) (40 μM) was found to be sub-lethal to rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth and development. Cd-pre-treated seedlings, when subjected to salinity stress, were observed to be resilient and healthy at the biochemical level. Parameters such as photosynthetic activity, sugar assimilation, and antioxidant concen-tration indicated that Cd-pre-treated seedlings were robust and healthy compared to only salinity-stressed seedlings. Co-treated seedlings (Cd pretreated + salinity exposed) showed strong growth and healthy development, as evidenced by physico-biochemical parameters. Therefore, this study presents a novel approach to the interaction between multiple stressors in crops. Further, the use of cadmium, which itself is an abiotic stressor, to mitigate salinity stress is a forward step in exploring sustainable agriculture. This study also allows investigation of the interaction between different stress factors at the biochemical level. However, further studies in this field are still needed to understand the molecular mechanism of action underlying Cd pre- treatment in mitigating salinity stress in crops.

Rice Seedling, Salinity Stress, Low-dose Cadmium, Sustainable Agriculture