In this study, the response of 17 durum wheat genotypes to cadmium stress was assessed using an aeroponic growth system at the seedling stage. The following parameters were evaluated: glutathione peroxidase (GPX), root dry weight (RDW), malondialdehyde (MDA), cadmium of root (CR), leaf dry weight (LDW), catalase (CAT), cadmium of leaf (CL), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), chlorophyll (Chl) based on SPAD index, seedling dry weight (SDW), electrical conductivity (EC), and glutathione S-transferase (GST). Biplot analysis revealed that the first two principal components explained 64% of the observed variabilities. The pentagon plot highlighted that genotype G15 under cadmium stress exhibited the highest values for GST, GPX, MDA, and CAT; while under non-cadmium stress, it showed high APX activity and superior RDW, LDW, Chl, SDW, and EC values. G2 under cadmium stress was notable for its high CR and CL levels. Regarding seedling dry weight performance, G2 and G15 under non-cadmium stress, followed by G14 and G16, demonstrated the highest results. APX emerged as the most discriminative trait, followed by GST, GPX, CAT, and EC, as determined by the treatment-by-trait biplot. Under cadmium-stress , genotypes G6, G8, G9, G11, and G12 were identified as superior for seedling dry weight.
