The effect of fluoranthene on the germination of plants

Abstract

The effect was studied of increasing concentration (10,100 and 500 ng l‐1) of fluoranthene (FLT) in solution on the energy of germination and the germination rate of seeds of Allium cepa L., Helianthus annuus L., Lactuca sativa L., Picea abies (L.) Karst., Sinapis alba L., Solanum lycop‐ersicum L., Triticum aestivum L., Zea mays L. The content of lipids in the seeds was determined and the effect of FLT on the uptake of water by the seeds evaluated. The obtained results demonstrated that the increasing FLT concentration inhibited the energy of germination and the germination rate of seeds of all plant species. The species studied showed different sensitivity to the content of FLT. The effect of increasing FLT concentration was reflected more conspicuously in plant species with a higher content of lipids in the seeds (Helianthus annuus L., Lactuca sativa L., Picea abies (L.) Karst., Solanum lycopersicum L.). The inhibition of germination maked deeper significantly by the application of FLT from the beginning of imbibition. In none of the plant species FLT did not affect the uptake of water by the seeds.