Effects of sulfur nutritional level on cadmium toxicity in barley

Conference · Sat May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Plant Physiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6246219

Chen, Yichang; Huerta, A J ^[1]

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1. Miami Univ., Oxford, OH (United States)

The effects of S levels on Cd toxicity were studied in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.cv.UC 476). Barley was grown hydroponically in half-strength Hoagland's solution containing either 100% or 10% S in a growth chamber at constant 20 C, 290 umole M[sup [minus]2] s[sup [minus]1] light intensity, and a 16/18 hour light/dark period. Five days after the first true leaf appeared, 15 uM Cd was added to the nutrient solutions where appropriate. At 14 days after beginning of Cd treatment, plants were analyzed for photosynthetic characteristics. The photosynthetic characteristics measured were CO[sub 2] response curves (measured with a LICOR 6200 portable photosynthesis system), and fluorescence measurement system. At 21 days they were analyzed for morphological and biomass measurements. The CO[sub 2] response curves for leaves of plants treated with 10% S did not significantly differ from those of plants treated with 100% S. Treatment with Cd significantly reduced the CO[sup 2] saturated rates of photosynthesis and the reduction was more significant in the 10% S than in the 100% S plants. Photochemical efficiency of PSII (FV/FM) and fluorescence quenching capacity (FQ) were not affected by 10% S as compared to 100% S treatment. Interestingly, treatment with Cd significantly increased both FV/FM and FQ as compared to control., However, S level had no effect on the fluorescence parameters of Cd-treated plants. Leaf and root length, leaf area, root and shoot dry weight were only slightly affected (increased or decreased) by 10% S as compared to 100% S but very significantly reduced by treatment with Cd. Our results agree with the previous reports which show that S (an important component of glutathione and phytochelatins which are low molecular weight Cd binding proteins), is important in regulating Cd detoxification in plants. However, we are continuing to conduct experiments as even lower S concentrations and different Cd concentrations.

• OSTI ID: 6246219
• Report Number(s): CONF-9307119-; CODEN: PLPHAY
• Journal Information: Plant Physiology; (United States), Vol. 102:1; Conference: 1993 joint annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Physiologists (ASPP) and the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists (CSPP), Minneapolis, MN (United States), 31 Jul - 4 Aug 1993; ISSN 0032-0889
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BARLEY
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
TOXICITY
CADMIUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
SULFUR
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
DETOXIFICATION
LEAVES
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
CEREALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELEMENTS
GRAMINEAE
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
METALS
NONMETALS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PLANTS
SYNTHESIS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology