Effect of cadmium on three cultivars of soybeans

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science

OSTI ID:518615

Hall, K; Griggs, L; Myles, E L ^[1]

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1. Tennessee State Univ., Nashville, TN (United States); and others

Heavy metals in a plant`s environment can cause stress to the plant. This can be exhibited by an unfavorable reaction displayed by the plant. Cadmium is a heavy metal pollutant and potential toxin which can be found in the soil of many crops as a result of environmental pollution from mining, smelting, manufacturing, or atmospheric fallout or through the use of agricultural fertilizers. At high levels, cadmium can be toxic. However, plants have developed multiple mechanisms for tolerating the presence of heavy metals and for reducing their toxic effects. In our laboratory, we are trying to determine the mechanism of tolerance of cadmium in soybean (Glycine max) seedlings by performing comparative studies on a variety of soybean cultivars to identify either a nontolerant (sensitive) cultivar in which the plants die or exhibit a reduced growth in a particular cadmium concentration or to identify a tolerant (resistant) cultivar in which the plants show little or no reduction in growth rate. Four cultivars were used: Forrest; Hutcheson; Ware T9410; and 416981. The seedlings were exposed to 0.0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 {mu}M of cadmium sulfate for 7 days using an in vitro system. At the end of the exposure period, measurements were taken, which included total weight, total length, root weight, root length, hypocotyl weight and hypocotyl length. Results from cultivars Hutcheson, Ware T9410 and 416981 indicated cadmium primarily depressed root length, with the greatest effect at 1.0 {mu}M, and to a lesser degree at 0.5 {mu}M. Hypocotyl length also was depressed, particularly at 1.0 {mu}M. This suggests that cadmium specifically affects the roots with a reduction in root growth, indicating possible accumulation. Also, our results indicated that the cultivar Forrest may be tolerant to cadmium.

• OSTI ID: 518615
• Journal Information: Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Journal Name: Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 71; ISSN JTASAG; ISSN 0040-313X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CADMIUM
PLANT GROWTH
ROOTS
SOYBEANS