Accumulation and Effect of Heavy Metals on the Germination and Growth of <i>Salsola vermiculata</i> L. Seedlings
Israel Sanjosé,
Francisco Navarro-Roldán,
María Dolores Infante-Izquierdo,
Gloria Martínez-Sagarra,
Juan Antonio Devesa,
Alejandro Polo,
Sara Ramírez-Acosta,
Enrique Sánchez-Gullón,
Francisco Javier Jiménez-Nieva,
Adolfo Francisco Muñoz-Rodríguez
Affiliations
Israel Sanjosé
Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21004 Huelva, Spain
Francisco Navarro-Roldán
Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21004 Huelva, Spain
María Dolores Infante-Izquierdo
Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21004 Huelva, Spain
Gloria Martínez-Sagarra
Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, José Celestino Mutis Building, Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Juan Antonio Devesa
Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, José Celestino Mutis Building, Campus de Rabanales, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Alejandro Polo
Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21004 Huelva, Spain
Sara Ramírez-Acosta
International Agrofood Campus of Excellence International ceiA3, University of Huelva, 21004 Huelva, Spain
Enrique Sánchez-Gullón
Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21004 Huelva, Spain
Francisco Javier Jiménez-Nieva
Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21004 Huelva, Spain
Adolfo Francisco Muñoz-Rodríguez
Department of Integrated Sciences, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Huelva, 21004 Huelva, Spain
The influence of different concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn) was analyzed in the Salsola vermiculata germination pattern, seedling development, and accumulation in seedlings. The responses to different metals were dissimilar. Germination was only significantly reduced at Cu and Zn 4000 μM but Zn induced radicle growth at lower concentrations. Without damage, the species acted as a good accumulator and tolerant for Mn, Ni, and Cu. In seedlings, accumulation increased following two patterns: Mn and Ni, induced an arithmetic increase in content in tissue, to the point where the content reached a maximum; with Cu and Ni, the pattern was linear, in which the accumulation in tissue was directly related to the metal concentration in the medium. Compared to other Chenopodiaceae halophyte species, S. vermiculata seems to be more tolerant of metals and is proposed for the phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals.
