Journal of Plant Biotechnology

The Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology (한국식물생명공학회)
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Amelioration of $Cd^{++}$ Toxicity by $Ca^{++}$ on Germination, Growth and Changes in Anti-Oxidant and Nitrogen Assimilation Enzymes in Mungbean(Vigna mungo) Seedlings

  • Kochhar Sunita (Division of Biotechnology and Plant Physiology, National Botanical Research Institute) ;
  • Ahmad Gayas (Division of Biotechnology and Plant Physiology, National Botanical Research Institute) ;
  • Kochhar Vinod Kumar (Division of Biotechnology and Plant Physiology, National Botanical Research Institute)
  • Published : 2004.12.01
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Abstract

The present study describes the ameliorating effect of $Ca^{++}\;on\;Cd^{++}$ toxicity on the germination, early growth of mungbean seedlings, nitrogen assimilation enzyme. s-nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NIR), anti-oxidant enzymes (POD, CAT and SOD) and on the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and sulphydryls. $Cd^{++}$ inhibited seed germination and root and shoot length of seedlings. While NR activity was down- regulated, the activities of NIR, POD and SOD were up- regulated with $Cd^{++}$ treatment. $Cd^{++}$ treatment also increased the accumulation of sulphydryls and peroxides, which is reflective of increased thiol rich proteins and oxidative stress. $Ca^{++}$ reversed the toxic effects of $Cd^{++}$ on germination and on early growth of seedlings as well as on the enzyme activities, which were in turn differentially inhibited with a combined treatment with calcium specific chelator EGTA. The results indicate that the external application of $Ca^{++}$ may increase the tolerance capacity of plants to environmental pollutants by both up and down regulating metabolic activities. Abbreviations: $Cd^{++}= cadmium,\;Ca^{++} = calcium$, NR= nitrate reductase, NIR=nitrite reductase, POD = peroxidse, SOD= superoxide dismutase, CAT= catalase, EGTA= ethylene glycol-bis( $\beta-aminoethyl ether$)-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid.

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References

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