Poljoprivreda (Dec 2008)
DRY MATTER ACCUMULATION AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS CONTENT IN RADISH (Raphanus sativus L.) AS INDICATORS OF COPPER AND LEAD TOXICITY
Abstract
The involvement of heavy metals in plant metabolism leads to the alterations of specific metabolic pathways such as organic matter synthesis. The plantlets of three radish cultivars have been exposed to 0.5 mM Cu or Pb in nutrient solution for 48 h. The content of photosynthetic pigments was determined spectrophotometrically and expressed on leaf fresh and dry matter basis. The lower dry matter accumulation in leaves and hypocotylls of stressed plants was accompanied by the relative increment of pigments content in leaf dry matter. This research showed that the photosynthetic pigments content in short exposure conditions to mentioned heavy metals was inaccurate indicator of their toxicity in radish.
