Photosynthesis and growth responses of pea Pisum sativum L. under heavy metals stress

The present work aimed to study the physiological e ects of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) in pea (Pisum sativum). Pea plants were exposed to increasing doses of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and copper chloride (CuCl2) for 20 d. The examined parameters, namely root and shoot lengths, the concentration of photosynthetic pigments and the rate of photosynthesis were a ected by the treatments especially with high metals concentrations. The analysis of heavy metals accumulation shows that leaves significantly accumulate cadmium for all the tested concentrations. However, copper was significantly accumulated only with the highest tested dose. This may explain the higher inhibitory e ects of cadmium on photosynthesis and growth in pea plants. These results are valuable for understanding the biological consequences of heavy metals contamination particularly in soils devoted to organic agriculture.     

Phytotoxicity of cadmium on protein, proline and antioxidant enzyme activities in growing Arachis hypogaea L. seedlings

Phytotoxicity of cadmium on growing Arachis hypogaea L. seedlings was studied. Seeds were exposed to 25, 50, and 100 μmol/L CdCl2 concentrations, for a period of 10, 15, 20 and 25 d. The extent of damage to chlorophyll, protein, proline, nitrate and nitrite reductase, antioxidant enzyme activity in leaves and roots were evaluated after 10 d of cadmium stress. The higher concentration of cadmium （100 μmol/L） resulted （leaves and roots） total chlorophyll 91.01%, protein 79.51%, 83.61%, nitrate reductase 79.39%, 80.72% and nitrite reductase 77.07%, 75.88% activity decreased with increase in cadmium concentrations and exposure periods. Cadmium caused significant changes in the activity of antioxidative enzymes. Contrastingly Cd treated plant tissues showed an increase in proline 159.87%, 239.6%, gluthion reductase （GR） 337.72%, 306.14%, superoxide disumutase （SOD） 688.56%, 381.72%, ascorbate peroxidase （APX） 226.47%, 252.14%, peroxidase （POD） 72.19%, 60.29% and catalase （CAT） 228.96%, 214.74% as compared to control. Cadmium stress caused a significant increase in the rate of SOD activity in leaves and roots of plant species. Results show the crop A. hypogaea is highly sensitive even at very low cadmium concentrations.     

SO2衍生物对大蒜根尖细胞遗传损伤作用的研究

研究SO2体内衍生物--亚硫酸钠和亚硫酸氢钠混合液(31,mol.L-1/mol.L-1)对大蒜幼根细胞的遗传损伤效应.结果表明SO2衍生物处理可导致根尖细胞分裂异常,中期染色体粘连、间期细胞微核和双核频率明显增高;此外还可引起根尖部分细胞核碎解及核固缩.SO2体内衍生物的上述效应具有明显的时间-效应和剂量-效应关系.     

Effects of some eucalypts on yields of Vigna unguiculata L. Walp., Zea mays L. and Sorghum bicolor L.

Vigna unguiculata (beans), Zea mays (maize) and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum) were grown with and without fertiliser in a savanna grassland (control) and under the effects of decomposing parts of eucalyptus in an old eucalyptus plantation with a well-lit floor (treatment).Morphological characters of the beans, compared between the two sites, showed that leaf dry-matter production, expressed as specific leaf area (SLA), did not differ between plants in the two sites (fertilised and unfertilised). Although the organic-matter content and water-holding capacity of the plantation soil were significantly higher than those of the control plants. beans, grain yield ha⁻¹, shoot height, number of leaves and fruits were higher in the control plants. However, when beans were fertilised, shoot height did not differ between sites, but the other measured morphological characters and grain yield were significantly improved in both sites, although these characters still remained higher in the control. In maize and sorghum, grain yield ha⁻¹ did not vary significantly in the two sites (fertilised or unfertilised). These findings suggest that beans can be incompatible with eucalypts, while maize and sorghum may be compatible with eucalypts for agrosilvicultural practices, and that fertilisation can offset, to an extent, the depressive effects of eucalypts on crops.     

Diurnal pH oscillations in surface waters of the Atlantic Ocean

The Science of Nature -     

Action and composition of the alarm pheromone of the bedbugCimex lectularius L.

The Science of Nature -     

Concentrations of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in needles of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) growing nearby different industrial sources

Emissions from industrial activities pose a serious threat to human health and impose the need for monitoring both inorganic and organic pollutants in industrial areas.We selected Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) as potential biomonitor and collected the current (C) and previous year (C+1) needles from three industrial sites dominated by petrochemical,ceramics manufacturing,and iron and steel smelting plants and one remote site to determine heavy metals (Cu,Cd,Pb,Zn,Cr,Ni and Co) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in unwashed and water-washed needles.Both unwashed and washed C+1 needles showed generally higher concentrations of heavy metals and PAHs than C needles,although the washed needles more clearly spotlighted the accumulation effect of PAHs over exposure time.Water-washing resulted in a significant decrease in needle PAH concentrations with more significant effects shown in C needles.By contrast,needle heavy metal concentrations were much less affected by washing.Although heavy metals and PAHs might differ in adsorption and uptake strategies,their higher concentrations in the needles at the industrial sites indicated conspicuous contamination due to industrial emissions there,The PAH distribution patterns in pine needles accorded with the real types of energy consumption in the study sites and were efficiently used for pinpointing local pollutant sources.