Comparative Assessment of Response to Cadmium in Heavy Metal-Tolerant Shrubs Cultured In Vitro

How does silicon alleviate Cd-induced phytotoxicity in barley, Hordeum vulgare L.?

Toxic heavy metal accumulation in edible plants has become a problem worth worrying about for human health. Cadmium is one of the most toxic metals presenting high bioavailability in the environment. The main route of transfer of Cd to humans is the consumption of contaminated food which suggests that reducing of Cd absorption by plants could reduce this risk. In this context, it was suggested that silicon supply would be able to limit the transfer of Cd to the plants. Thus, this work evaluated the effects of 0.5 mM Si on Cd absorption and accumulation in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Plants were grown hydroponically for 21 days in the presence of 0 and 15 μM Cd2+ combined or not with 0.5 mM Si. Analyses were related to growth and photosynthesis parameters, Cd accumulation in organs and Cd subcellular distribution in the shoots. Results showed that, under Cd alone, plants showed severe toxicity symptoms as chlorosis and necrosis and produced significantly less biomass as compared to control. 0.5 mM Si in the medium culture significantly reduced Cd-induced toxicity by mitigating symptoms and restoring growth, photosynthesis, and nutrition. Si also induced a significant reduction of Cd concentration in plants and changed its sub-cellular compartmentalization by enhancing fixation to cell walls and reducing the Cd concentration in the cytoplasmic and organelles fractions. These data suggest that the application of Si could significantly increase Cd tolerance and reduce the risk of the Cd accumulation in edible plants.

Assessing lead and cadmium tolerance of Chenopodium ambrosioides during micropropagation: an in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis

The tolerance of Chenopodium ambrosioides to some heavy metals under in vitro environment was thoroughly investigated. A micropropagation protocol was developed to facilitate the mass production of plants and to identify metals-tolerant species for potential use in the restoration of polluted areas. Nodal explants exhibited callus formation when treated with N6-benzyladenin (BA) (1.5 mg/l) and a combination of BA/α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) at concentrations of 1.5/1.0 mg/l on the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. The optimal shoot formation was achieved with the callus grown on a medium enriched with 1.5/1.0 mg/l BA/NAA, resulting in an impressive number (21.89) and length (11.79 cm) of shoots. The in vitro shoots were rooted using NAA (1.0 and 1.5 mg/l) and were acclimatized in pots with 71% survival rate. After standardizing micropropagation protocol, the in vitro shoots were subjected to various doses of lead nitrate (Pb(NO3)2 and cadmium chloride (CdCl2). Pb(NO3)2 and CdCl2 in the media let to a reduction in shoot multiplication, decreasing from 18.73 in the control group to 11.31 for Pb(NO3)2 and 13.89 for CdCl2 containing medium. However, Pb(NO3)2 and CdCl2 promoted shoot length from 5.61 in the control to 9.86 on Pb(NO3)2 and 12.51 on CdCl2 containing medium. In the case of Pb(NO3)2 treated shoots, the growth tolerance index (GTI) ranged from117.64% to 194.11%, whereas for CdCl2 treated shoots, the GTI ranged from 188.23% to 264.70%. Shoots treated with high level of Pb(NO3)2induced reddish-purple shoots, while a low level of Pb(NO3)2 induced shoots displayed both green and reddish-purple colors in the same explants. In CdCl2 treated culture, the toxic effects were narrow leaf lamina, elongated petiole and a dark reddish purple coloration. These findings highlight the remarkable potential of C. ambrosioides to maintain growth and organogenesis even in the presence Pb(NO3)2 and CdCl2 on the MS medium, indicating a high degree of metal tolerance.

Exploring Plants with Flowers: From Therapeutic Nutritional Benefits to Innovative Sustainable Uses

Flowers have played a significant role in society, focusing on their aesthetic value rather than their food potential. This study's goal was to look into flowering plants for everything from health benefits to other possible applications. This review presents detailed information on 119 species of flowers with agri-food and health relevance. Data were collected on their family, species, common name, commonly used plant part, bioremediation applications, main chemical compounds, medicinal and gastronomic uses, and concentration of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds. In this respect, 87% of the floral species studied contain some toxic compounds, sometimes making them inedible, but specific molecules from these species have been used in medicine. Seventy-six percent can be consumed in low doses by infusion. In addition, 97% of the species studied are reported to have medicinal uses (32% immune system), and 63% could be used in the bioremediation of contaminated environments. Significantly, more than 50% of the species were only analysed for total concentrations of carotenoids and phenolic compounds, indicating a significant gap in identifying specific molecules of these bioactive compounds. These potential sources of bioactive compounds could transform the health and nutraceutical industries, offering innovative approaches to combat oxidative stress and promote optimal well-being.

Comparison of In Vitro and In Planta Heavy Metal Tolerance and Accumulation Potential of Different Armeria maritima Accessions from a Dry Coastal Meadow

The aim of the present study was to compare the tolerance to several heavy metals and their accumulation potential of Armeria maritima subsp. elongata accessions from relatively dry sandy soil habitats in the Baltic Sea region using both in vitro cultivated shoot explants and long-term soil-cultivated plants at the flowering stage as model systems. The hypothesis that was tested was that all accessions will show a relatively high heavy metal tolerance and a reasonable metal accumulation potential, but possibly to varying degrees. Under the conditions of the tissue culture, the explants accumulated extremely high concentration of Cd and Cu, leading to growth inhibition and eventual necrosis, but the accumulation of Pb in their tissues was limited. When grown in soil, the plants from different accessions showed a very high heavy metal tolerance, as the total biomass was not negatively affected by any of the treatments. The accumulation potential for heavy metals in soil-grown plants was high, with several significant accession- and metal-related differences. In general, the heavy metal accumulation potential in roots and older leaves was similar, except for Mn, which accumulated more in older leaves. The absolute higher values of the heavy metal concentrations reached in the leaves of soil-grown A. maritima plants (500 mg Cd kg^-1, 600 mg Cu kg^-1, 12,000 mg Mn kg^-1, 1500 mg Pb kg^-1, and 15,000 mg Zn kg^-1) exceeded the respective threshold values for hyperaccumulation. In conclusion, A. maritima can be characterized by a species-wide heavy metal tolerance and accumulation potential, but with a relatively high intraspecies diversity.

Vanadium Toxicity Induced Changes in Growth, Antioxidant Profiling, and Vanadium Uptake in Pepper (Capsicum annum L.) Seedlings

Heavy metal contamination is one of the current serious environmental and agricultural soil issues, and it is mainly due to anthropogenic activities. Vanadium (V) is found in low concentrations in a wide range of plants and is widely distributed in soils. The current study aimed to determine how pepper seedlings responded to various V concentrations, as well as the detrimental effects of V on growth, root morphological traits, photosynthetic performance, reactive oxygen species (ROS), osmolytes production, antioxidant enzyme activities, and V uptake. Pepper seedlings (5 weeks old) were grown in hydroponic culture with six V levels (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg L−1 NH4VO3). After two weeks of V treatment, low level of V (10, 20 mg L−1) enhanced the growth status, conversely higher V (30, 40, and 50 mg L−1) level reduced the growth. The leaf gas exchange elements, pigments molecules, and root growth characteristics are also affected by higher V concentrations. Moreover, V uptake was higher in roots than in the shoot of pepper seedlings. Similarly, osmolytes content, ROS production, and antioxidant enzymes activities were significantly improved under V stress. Concluding, lower V (10, 20 mg L−1) concentration positively affected pepper growth, and higher V (30, 40, and 50 mg L−1) concentration had a detrimental effect on pepper physiological and biochemical mechanisms.

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Key Genes for Differential Lead Accumulation and Tolerance in Natural Arabidopsis thaliana Accessions

Soil contamination by lead (Pb) has become one of the major ecological threats to the environment. Understanding the mechanisms of Pb transport and deposition in plants is of great importance to achieve a global Pb reduction. We exposed a collection of 360 Arabidopsis thaliana natural accessions to a Pb-polluted soil. Germination rates, growth, and leaf Pb concentrations showed extensive variation among accessions. These phenotypic data were subjected to genome wide association studies (GWAs) and we found a significant association on chromosome 1 for low leaf Pb accumulation. Genes associated with significant SNP markers were evaluated and we selected EXTENSIN18 (EXT18) and TLC (TRAM-LAG1-CLN8) as candidates for having a role in Pb homeostasis. Six Pb-tolerant accessions, three of them exhibiting low leaf Pb content, and three of them with high leaf Pb content; two Pb-sensitive accessions; two knockout T-DNA lines of GWAs candidate genes (ext18, tlc); and Col-0 were screened under control and high-Pb conditions. The relative expression of EXT18, TLC, and other genes described for being involved in Pb tolerance was also evaluated. Analysis of Darwinian fitness, root and leaf ionome, and TEM images revealed that Pb-tolerant accessions employ two opposing strategies: (1) low translocation of Pb and its accumulation into root cell walls and vacuoles, or (2) high translocation of Pb and its efflux to inactive organelles or intracellular spaces. Plants using the first strategy exhibited higher expression of EXT18 and HMA3, thicker root cell walls and Pb vacuolar sequestration, suggesting that these genes may contribute to the deposition of Pb in the roots. On the other hand, plants translocating high amounts of Pb showed upregulation of TLC and ABC transporters, indicating that these plants were able to properly efflux Pb in the aerial tissues. We conclude that EXT18 and TLC upregulation enhances Pb tolerance promoting its sequestration: EXT18 favors the thickening of the cell walls improving Pb accumulation in roots and decreasing its toxicity, while TLC facilitates the formation of dictyosome vesicles and the Pb encapsulation in leaves. These findings are relevant for the design of phytoremediation strategies and environment restoration.

TiO2 nanoparticles dose, application method and phosphorous levels influence genotoxicity in Rice (Oryza sativa L.), soil enzymatic activities and plant growth

The present study focused on investigating the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) on rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth and changes in soil health in two contrasting soil textures (silt-loam and clay). Moreover, response of rice to different methods of TiO₂NPs application and phosphorous fertilizer levels were also evaluated. For toxicity assessment, pot experiment was carried out. TiO₂NPs (0, 500, 750 mg kg^-1) were applied and plants were grown till vegetative stage. After harvesting, physiological parameters, stress assay, soil microbial and enzymatic activities were determined. Based on the results of toxicity study, impact of three methods of TiO₂NPs application (foliar, irrigation, soil) and four phosphorous fertilizer levels (0, 10, 20, 40 mg kg^-1) on rice growth were assessed. During the 1st phase, results showed an adverse effect of TiO₂NPs on plant growth and soil microorganisms in both soil textures at 750 mg kg^-1. The H₂O₂ production, lipid peroxidation and leaf membrane injury index were increased by 4.3-, 2.4-, and 1.9-folds in clay soil upon 750 mg kg^-1 TiO₂NPs application. Likewise, at the same level of TiO₂NPs; microbial biomass, dehydrogenase, and respiration were decreased by 0.91-, 0.79-, and 0.78- folds respectively. In 2nd phase, maximum shoot length, biomass, phosphorous uptake and rice grain protein content were observed under application of TiO₂NPs (500 mg kg^-1) through irrigation method in combination with 40 mg P kg^-1. However, 20 and 40 mg P kg^-1 performed equally well upon TiO₂NPs application and the results were not statistically significant. The results suggest that 750 mg kg^-1 of TiO₂NPs negatively affect plant growth and soil enzymatic activities. Moreover, combined application of TiO₂NPs (500 mg kg^-1) through irrigation and 20 mg P kg^-1 is recommended to be the optimum for growth of rice plant.

Priming Strategies for Benefiting Plant Performance under Toxic Trace Metal Exposure

Combating environmental stress related to the presence of toxic elements is one of the most important challenges in plant production. The majority of plant species suffer from developmental abnormalities caused by an exposure to toxic concentrations of metals and metalloids, mainly Al, As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. However, defense mechanisms are activated with diverse intensity and efficiency. Enhancement of defense potential can be achieved though exogenously applied treatments, resulting in a higher capability of surviving and developing under stress and become, at least temporarily, tolerant to stress factors. In this review, I present several already recognized as well as novel methods of the priming process called priming, resulting in the so-called “primed state” of the plant organism. Primed plants have a higher capability of surviving and developing under stress, and become, at least temporarily, tolerant to stress factors. In this review, several already recognized as well as novel methods of priming plants towards tolerance to metallic stress are discussed, with attention paid to similarities in priming mechanisms activated by the most versatile priming agents. This knowledge could contribute to the development of priming mixtures to counteract negative effects of multi-metallic and multi-abiotic stresses. Presentation of mechanisms is complemented with information on the genes regulated by priming towards metallic stress tolerance. Novel compounds and techniques that can be exploited in priming experiments are also summarized.

Assessing Arundo donax L. in vitro-tolerance for phytoremediation purposes

Phytoremediation using high production crops could be an alternative for the recovery of metals polluted soils. In this sense, the Arundo donax L. energy crop has shown tolerance to moderate concentrations of heavy metals. The objective of this work was to test the tolerance of micropropagated plants of Arundo donax to increasing concentrations of cadmium, chromium, cooper, nickel and lead, in an in vitro culture medium. Biomass production and concentration of heavy metal in shoots and roots were analyzed. Results showed that heavy metals were accumulated mostly in subterranean organs. The increase in heavy metal concentration was dose dependent and not always follows a linear relationship. Arundo donax showed a broad tolerance to cadmium (0.5 mM), chromium (0.2 mM), cooper (2 mM), nickel (0.5 mM) and lead (1 mM). In relation to cooper, Arundo donax showed a hyperaccumulative potential. These results suggest the potential use of Arundo donax in the phytomanagement of polluted soils although further studies should be carried out using polluted soils.

Assessment of phytostabilization potential of two Salix L. clones based on the effects of heavy metals on the root anatomical traits

Willow species (Salix L.) are a useful tool for assessing phytostabilization of the sites polluted by heavy metals. Phytostabilization potential of two willow genotypes (Salix alba L. clone '68/53/1' and Salix nigra Marshall clone '0408') has been evaluated in a 45-day hydroponic experiment, using stem cuttings (diameter 12 to 14 mm, length 20 cm) exposed to two concentrations (10^-4 M and 10^-5 M) of individually applied Cd, Ni, and Pb. Metals were diluted in 25% Hoagland's solution, in forms of CdCl₂·H₂O, NiSO₄·6H₂O, and Pb-EDTA. The control group of cuttings was grown in 25% Hoagland's solution without heavy metals. High Cd concentrations in willow roots, 8637 mg/kg (clone '68/53/1') and 6728 mg/kg of dry weight (clone '0408'), have indicated a high phytostabilization potential. However, detailed analyses of cross-sectional area of the root cortex and the central cylinder revealed that the excess concentration of Cd led to a significant reduction of measured anatomical root's traits of clone '68/53/1' in comparison with the control samples. Excessive concentration of Ni and Pb in nutrient solution increased the values of quantitatively measured root's traits of clone '0408', implying stimulatory effects of the applied concentrations. Concentration of 10^-4 M of each metal had more negative effects on the roots' anatomical traits, notably on parenchymal and exodermal cells and vessels. Deposits of metals were observed in root tissues. Clone '0408' demonstrated an increased tolerance to heavy metals, which could potentially make this clone useful in phytostabilization.

In situ effects of Lathyrus sativus- PGPR to remediate and restore quality and fertility of Pb and Cd polluted soils

Rehabilitation of heavy metals contaminated soils using association between legumes and beneficial rhizospheric microorganisms such as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) is a major challenge in agronomy. The present study focuses on assessing the impact of field inoculation with I1 (Rhizobium leguminosarum (M5) + Bacillus simplex + Luteibacter sp. + Variovorax sp.) and I5 (R. leguminosarum (M5) + Pseudomonas fluorescens (K23) + Luteibacter sp. + Variovorax sp.) on growth and phytoremediation potential of Lathyrus sativus plants as well as soil quality and fertility. The experimentation was carried out in mine tailings of northern Tunisia. Obtained Results indicated that the in situ inoculation with I1 and I5 significantly increased the shoots (47% and 22%) and roots dry weights (22% and 29%), as well as nodules number (48% and 31%), respectively, compared to uninoculated plants. The maximum Pb accumulation in the above-ground tissue was recorded in plants inoculated with I5 (1180.85 mg kg^-1 DW). At the same time, we noticed a reduction in total Pb and Cd in the rhizosphere of inoculated plots mainly in those inoculated with I5 reaching 46% and 61%, respectively, compared to uninoculated plots. Likewise, I5 inoculum significantly enhanced soil total nitrogen (35%) and available phosphorus (100%), as well as β-glucosidase (16%), urease (32%) and alkaline phosphatase (12%) activities. Here we demonstrate the usefulness of L. sativus inoculated with I5 inoculum formed by mixing efficient and heavy metals resistant PGPR to boost an efficient reclamation of Cd and Pb contaminated soils and, ultimately, to improve their quality and fertility.

Comparative Study of Growth, Cadmium Accumulation and Tolerance of Three Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Cultivars

Trace metals (TM) contamination is a severe problem in the environment and produced an adverse effect on the productivity of crops. Cadmium (Cd) is a TM ranked seven among the top 20 pollutants due to its high toxicity and solubility in water, taken up by the plants and affects their growth and metabolism. In this study, we evaluated the growth, Cd accumulation and tolerance capacities of three chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars (NC234 (NC2), ICCV89310 (IC8) and ICCV89323-B (IC8-B)), subjected to two Cd concentrations (25 and 50 µM) in hydroponic culture. The toxicity of Cd reduced the plant height and fresh and dry biomass in all cultivars. The maximum reduction was observed at 50 µM of Cd. Compared with IC8-B, cultivars IC8 and NC2 exhibited better performance with high growth, biomass, root to shoot (R/S) ratio and water content under high Cd stress. To measure the accumulation of Cd in root and shoot, an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) was used. IC8 and NC2 had comparatively high Cd tolerance and accumulation ability (> 100 µg g^-1 dry weight), with IC8 being more tolerant and accumulated higher Cd in shoot than NC2, while cultivar IC8-B was sensitive. Root accumulated more Cd than shoot in a dose-dependent manner. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) and bioaccumulation coefficients (BAC) were far higher than one (> 1) and increased with an increase in Cd concentrations, while the translocation factor (TF) was less than one (< 1), suggesting that all the three cultivars were unable to transfer Cd from the root to the shoot efficiently. Our results indicated that IC8 and NC2 proved to be resistant, while IC8-B showed sensitivity when exposed to high Cd stress (50 µM).

The modulation of ion homeostasis by silicon in cadmium treated poplar callus cells

One of the major reasons why cadmium is toxic in plants is because it disturbs their nutrient balance. The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of cadmium (Cd) and/or silicon (Si) on the nutrient status of poplar callus cells after 3 and after 9 weeks of Cd exposure and to study its possible relationship with the changes in the fresh and dry mass, the plasma membrane integrity, and cadmium tolerance patterns. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to reveal the associations among the elements, and the variability between both treatments, and between the 3- and 9-week stages. Cadmium reduced the fresh and dry mass, the plasma membrane integrity, and the concentration of all nutrients except for P. After 9 weeks of exposure, the Cd concentration in callus cells had almost doubled, in spite of an improvement in all studied parameters. These changes may be due to the callus acclimatizing to the Cd stress. In the Cd + Si treatment, the fresh and dry mass, the plasma membrane integrity, and the concentration of nutrients, as well as the growth tolerance index, increased in comparison with the Cd treatment. We assumed that the enhancement in the plasma membrane integrity mediated by Si under Cd stress had caused the improvement in the uptake of nutrients and, consequently, the fresh and dry mass of callus cells had increased. The reduction in Cd concentration due to the Si impact also contributed to the increase in fresh and dry mass.

Evaluation of heavy metal-induced responses in Silene vulgaris ecotypes

Silene vulgaris is a pseudometallophyte that spontaneously occurs in various ecological niches. Therefore, three ecotypes of this species representing calamine (CAL), serpentine (SER), and non-metallicolous (NM) populations were investigated in this study. Owing to the presence of Pb or Ni ions in natural habitats from metallicolous populations originated, we used these metals as model stressors to determine the survival strategy of tested ecotypes and analyze metal distribution at various levels of organism organization. We focused on growth tolerance, non-enzymatic antioxidants, and photosynthetic apparatus efficiency as well as anatomical and ultrastructural changes occurred in contrasting ecotypes exposed in vitro to excess amounts of Pb2+ and Ni2+. Although Ni application contributed to shoot culture death, the study revealed that the mechanisms of Pb detoxification differed between ecotypes. The unspecific reaction of both metallicolous specimens relied on the formation of effective mechanical barrier against toxic ion penetration, while the Pb appearance in the protoplasts led to the activation of ecotype-specific intracellular defense mechanisms. Hence, the response of CAL and SER ecotypes was almost unchanged under Pb treatment, whereas the reaction of NM one resulted in growth disturbances and physiological alternations. Moreover, both metallicolous ecotypes exhibited increase generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in leaves, even before the harmful ions got into these parts of plants. It may implicate the potential role of ROS in CAL and SER adaptation to heavy metals and, for the first time, indicate on integral function of ROS as signaling molecules in metal-tolerant species.

Phytoextraction of heavy metals from contaminated soil, water and atmosphere using ornamental plants: mechanisms and efficiency improvement strategies

Accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in soil, water and air is one of the major environmental concerns worldwide, which mainly occurs due to anthropogenic activities such as industrialization, urbanization, and mining. Conventional remediation strategies involving physical or chemical techniques are not cost-effective and/or eco-friendly, reinforcing the necessity for development of novel approaches. Phytoextraction has attracted considerable attention over the past decades and generally refers to use of plants for cleaning up environmental pollutants such as HMs. Compared to other plant types such as edible crops and medicinal plants, ornamental plants (OPs) seem to be a more viable option as they offer several advantages including cleaning up the HMs pollution, beautification of the environment, by-product generation and related economic benefits, and not generally being involved in the food/feed chain or other direct human applications. Phytoextraction ability of OPs involve diverse detoxification pathways such as enzymatic and non-enzymatic (secondary metabolites) antioxidative responses, distribution and deposition of HMs in the cell walls, vacuoles and metabolically inactive tissues, and chelation of HMs by a ligand such as phytochelatins followed by the sequestration of the metal-ligand complex into the vacuoles. The phytoextraction efficiency of OPs can be improved through chemical, microbial, soil amending, and genetic approaches, which primarily target bioavailability, uptake, and sequestration of HMs. In this review, we explore the phytoextraction potential of OPs for remediation of HMs-polluted environments, underpinning mechanisms, efficiency improvement strategies, and highlight the potential future research directions.

Evaluation of the protective role of exogenous growth regulators against Ni toxicity in woody shrub Daphne jasminea

The results provide a significant verification of the activity of exogenously applied phytohormones: gibberellic acid, jasmonic acid, and brassinolide in the modulation of the plant's response to nickel treatment. The study investigated nickel accumulation and its toxicity to Daphne jasminea shoots cultured in vitro with or without exogenous supplementation with phytohormones: gibberellic acid (GA3), jasmonic acid (JA), and brassinolide (BL). The aim was to verify the modulatory effect of exogenous plant growth regulators (PGRs) on plant reaction to Ni excess. The combined action of Ni and PGRs was evaluated at the anatomical, ultrastructural, and biochemical levels. Nickel toxicity was manifested in decreased biomass accretion and growth tolerance index (83-53.6%), attributed to enhanced synthesis of growth inhibitors, mainly abscisic acid. As a defence reaction, endogenous gibberellins accumulated. Exogenous GA3 ameliorated the plant reaction to Ni stress, inducing proliferation and growth rate. Ni tolerance in the presence of GA3 was attributed to peroxisomal reactions that stimulated the synthesis of endogenous JA. In contrast, the application of BL caused enhanced Ni accumulation. Plants suffered from pronounced stress due to massive oxidation. The defence strategy of plants subjected to Ni and BL involved cell wall rearrangements. Exogenous JA stimulated the synthesis of active auxins and salicylic acid, contributing to enhanced mitotic activity within explants. However, JA disturbed the integrity of chloroplasts and lamellar compartments. Our study revealed that an action of exogenous PGRs may either enhance tolerance to Ni or increase metal toxicity in D. jasminea. Particularly in in vitro culture, where explants are subjected to external phytohormonal stimuli, the combined effects of supplemental PGRs may enhance stress and substantially affect plant development. Our results provide a significant verification of exogenous PGRs activity in the modulation of plant response to nickel.

Screening ornamental plants to identify potential Cd hyperaccumulators for bioremediation

To identify possible cadmium (Cd) accumulators or hyperaccumulators among ornamental plants, a pot experiment involving increasing Cd concentration (0, 5, 15, 30, 60, and 100 mg kg^-1) was conducted among seven species. The principal objective was to screen for ornamental plants with an exceptional ability to accumulate and translocate Cd ions as well as sufficient biomass for harvesting. Regarding shoot biomass, root biomass, plant height and tolerance index (TI), Malva rotundifolia showed high tolerance to Cd and Malva crispa, Sida rhombifolia, Celosia argentea and Celosia cristata medium tolerance; Althaea rosea and Abutilon theophrasti were more sensitive to Cd than the other plants. A hormetic response was induced by Cd in M. crispa, C. argentea, C. cristata and M. rotundifolia. Based on its capacity for Cd accumulation, bioaccumulation coefficients (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs), M. rotundifolia was selected from candidate plants after 60 days of exposure to Cd-contaminated soil and found to have accumulated more than 200 mg kg^-1 Cd in its roots and 900 mg kg^-1 in its shoots. Moreover, M. rotundifolia BCFs and TFs were higher than 1.0, with the former ranging from 1.41 to 3.31 and the latter from 1.03 to 7.37. Taken together, these results indicate that M. rotundifolia can be classified as a model hyperaccumulator.

Heavy metal tolerance in contrasting ecotypes of Alyssum montanum

The response of metallicolous (M) and nonmetallicolous (NM) Alyssum montanum ecotypes to multi-metal stress was investigated under in vitro condition and compared in this study. Shoot cultures were simultaneously treated with 0.7 mM ZnSO₄, 3.0 μM Pb(NO₃)₂ and 16.4 μM CdCl₂ for 8 weeks and evaluated for their morphogenetic and ultrastructural reaction, growth tolerance as well as ability to Zn, Pb, and Cd uptake. Moreover, tissue localization and concentrations of antioxidant compounds were determined in order to elucidate the potential role of ROS-scavenging machinery in plant tolerance to metal toxicity. The results clearly demonstrated that M specimens treated with heavy metals showed less phytotoxic symptoms and low level of lipid peroxidation than reference NM one. The enhanced tolerance of M ecotype resulted from heavy metals detoxification in trichomes and intracellular leaf compartments as well as balanced ROS accumulation. The inactivation of ROS in M plants was based on peroxidase-flavonoid system, while in NM plants such relationship was not detected and amounts of antioxidant enzymes or phenolic compounds was comparable to untreated specimens or decreased significantly. Considering the procumbent growth of such hemicryptophyte which reproduce effectively in the presence of heavy metals but is characterized by low biomass production, it is proposed to exploit M ecotype of A. montanum in revegetation schemes of polluted calamine wastes to provide the prompt stabilization of areas prone to erosion.

Studies on lead and cadmium toxicity in Dianthus carthusianorum calamine ecotype cultivated in vitro

Information on metallophytes during reclamation of land contaminated with heavy metals is sparse. We investigated the response of D. carthusianorum calamine ecotype to Pb and Cd stress. We focused on in vitro selection of tolerant plant material for direct use in chemically degraded areas. Shoot cultures were treated with various concentrations of Pb or Cd ions. Plantlet status was estimated as micropropagation efficiency, growth tolerance index (GTI) and through physiological analysis. Moreover, determination of plant Pb, Cd and other elements was performed. The application of Pb(NO₃ )₂ resulted in stronger growth inhibition than application of CdCl₂ . In the presence of Pb ions, a reduction was observed of both, the micropropagation coefficient to 1.1-1.8 and the GTI to 48%. In contrast, Cd ions had a positive influence on tested cultures, expressed as an increase of GTI up to 243% on medium enriched with 1.0 μm CdCl₂ . Moreover, photosynthetic pigment content in shoots cultivated on media with CdCl₂ was higher than in control treatment. The adaptation to Cd was associated with decreased accumulation of phenols in the order: 0.0 μm > 1.0 μm > 3.0 μm > 5.5 μm CdCl₂ . It seems that high tolerance to Cd is related to K uptake, which is involved in antioxidant defence. This work presents an innovative approach to the impact of Cd ions on plant growth and suggests a potential biological role of this metal in species from metalliferous areas.