Inhibition of nitrogen fixation in alfalfa by arsenate, heavy metals, fluoride, and simulated acid rain

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Plant Physiol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.68.1.143· OSTI ID:6317772

Porter, J R; Sheridan, R P

The acute effects of aqueous solutions of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, F, and Zn ions at concentrations from 0.01 to 100 micrograms per milliliter and solutions adjusted to pH 2 to 6 with nitric or sulfuric acid were studied with respect to acetylene reduction, net photosynthesis, respiration rate, and chlorophyll content in Vernal alfalfa. The effects of the various treatments on acetylene reduction varied from no demonstrable effect by any concentration of F/sup -/ and 42% inhibition by 100 micrograms Pb/sup 2 +/ per milliliter, to 100% inhibition by 10 micrograms Cd/sup 2 +/ per milliliter and 100 micrograms per milliliter As, Cu/sup 2 +/, and Zn/sup 2 +/ showed statistically significant inhibition of activity at 0.1 micrograms per milliliter. Acid treatments were not inhibitory above pH 2, at which pH nitric acid inhibited acetylene reduction activity more than did sulfuric acid. The inhibition of acetylene reduction by these ions was Zn/sup 2 +/ > Cd/sup 2 +/ > Cu/sup 2 +/ > AsO/sub 3//sup -/ > F/sup -/. The sensitivity of acetylene reduction to the ions was roughly equal to the sensitivity of photosynthesis, respiration, and chlorophyll content when Pb/sup 2 +/ was applied, but was 1000 times more sensitive to Zn/sup 2 +/. The relationship of the data to field conditions and industrial pollution is discussed.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Montana, Missoula
• OSTI ID: 6317772
• Journal Information: Plant Physiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Plant Physiol.; (United States) Vol. 68:1; ISSN PLPHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
550200 -- Biochemistry
551000 -- Physiological Systems
553000 -- Agriculture & Food Technology
560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
ACUTE EXPOSURE
AIR POLLUTION
ALFALFA
ANIONS
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
DISPERSIONS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELEMENTS
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INHIBITION
INORGANIC ACIDS
IONS
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEGUMINOSAE
METALS
MIXTURES
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN FIXATION
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PLANTS
POLLUTION
RAIN
RESPIRATION
SIMULATION
SOLUTIONS
SULFURIC ACID
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZINC