Abstract
Corn (Zea Mays L.) and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. ) seedlings were grown in four cadmium (Cd) concentration levels (0 - 1 mg/l) in a hydroponic system to analyze the antioxidant enzyme system, Cd concentration in the shoots and roots of plants, proline contents, growth responses and chlorophyll contents in the leaves of corn and wheat. The results showed that there was a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration from 0 to 1 mg/l, and peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities in the corn and wheat subjected to 0 – 1 mg/l of Cd. However, there was a significant decrease in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the corn and wheat subjected to 0 - 1 mg/l of Cd. This indicated that Cd stress induced an oxidative stress response in corn and wheat seedlings, characterized by an accumulation of MDA, decrease in the activities of SOD and increase in the activities of POD and CAT. Root and leaf Cd concentrations of corn and wheat increased with their exposure to the Cd level,s and the highest Cd concentration occurred in roots, followed by the leaves. An increase in proline in the leaves of corn and wheat seedlings exposed to Cd occurred as well as a decrease in chlorophyll (CHL) contents and shoots and roots biomass. Thus, Cd levels negatively affected the corn and wheat seedlings growth. Key words : Cadmium, corn ( Zea mays L.), wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.).
Highlights
With the development of modern industry and agriculture, Cadmium (Cd) has become one of the most harmful and widespread pollutants in agricultural soils, and soil-plantenvironment system mainly due to anthropogenic activeties, such as industrial emission, the application of Cdcontaining sewage sludge, phosphate fertilizers and municipal waste disposal (Wu et al, 2005, Lima et al, 2006)
Corn (Zea Mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ) seedlings were grown in four cadmium (Cd) concentration levels (0 - 1 mg/l) in a hydroponic system to analyze the antioxidant enzyme system, Cd concentration in the shoots and roots of plants, proline contents, growth responses and chlorophyll contents in the leaves of corn and wheat
There was a significant decrease in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the corn and wheat subjected to 0 - 1 mg/l of Cd
Summary
With the development of modern industry and agriculture, Cadmium (Cd) has become one of the most harmful and widespread pollutants in agricultural soils, and soil-plantenvironment system mainly due to anthropogenic activeties, such as industrial emission, the application of Cdcontaining sewage sludge, phosphate fertilizers and municipal waste disposal (Wu et al, 2005, Lima et al, 2006). Not essential for plant growth, Cd is readily taken up by roots and translocated into leaves in many plant species (Zhou and Qiu, 2005). Cd uptake and accumulation in plants poses a serious health issue to humans through the food chain (Shah and Dubey, 1998). The Cd pollution is of growing concern because it has turned into a potential agricultural, environmental and health issue worldwide. Cd is translocated from plant roots to above ground tissues (Zhou and Qiu, 2005), and potentially threatens human health. Cd in plants interferes with physiological processes: decrease carbon assimilation (Krupa and Baszynski, 1995), induce stomatal closure and disturb plant water status (Perfus-Barbeoch et al, 2002), inhibit chlorophyll synthesis (Chien et al, 2001), damage root tips, reduce nutrient uptake, impair photosynthesis, inhibit plant growth (Das et al, 1997) and generate oxidative stress (Pietrini et al, 2003)
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