The effect of cadmium on the growth, tolerance and cadmium-accumulation of some ornamental plants in Vietnam

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential heavy metal that is toxic and causes negative effects on plant growth. In this study, five ornamental plants in Vietnam (Catharanthus roseus, Helianthus annuus, Tagetes erecta, Medicago sativa and Celosia argentea) were researched for the effect of Cd on their growth and tolerance. We collected data on shoot height, biomass, chlorophyll content, tolerance index and Cd accumulation of these plants after 30 days of exposure to Cd. The results suggested that Cd caused the inhibition of shoot growth for all species. Particularly, the shoot growth of C. argentea was promoted by 25 mg kg-1 Cd concentration in the soil after 30 days of treatment. Similarly, the biomass and chlorophyll content of C. argentea were also increased at some concentrations. The tolerance index of C. argentea and the Cd accumulation of C. roseus are the highest values. Hence, C. argentea and C. roseus show that they have many special characteristics than the other species while living in the Cd polluted-environment. Therefore, they should be conducted for deep studies on heavy metal stress fields, especially Cd.