Lead (Pb) is an environmental pollutant extremely toxic to plants and other living organisms including humans. To assess Pb phytotoxicity, experiments focusing on germination of wheat seeds were germinated in a solution containing Pb (NO3)2 (0.05; 0.1; 0.5; 1 g/L) during 6 days. Lead accumulation in seedlings was positively correlated with the external concentrations, and negatively correlated with morphological parameters of plant growth. Lead increased lipid peroxidation, enhanced soluble protein concentrations and induced a significant accumulation of proline in roots. Esterase activity was enhanced in the presence of lead, whereas α-amylase activity was significantly inhibited. Antioxidant enzymes activities, such as, ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase were generally significantly increased in the presence of lead in a dose-dependent manner. The present results thus provide a model system to screen for natural compounds able to counteract the deleterious effects of lead. © 2010 Académie des sciences.
CITATION STYLE
Lamhamdi, M., Bakrim, A., Aarab, A., Lafont, R., & Sayah, F. (2011). Lead phytotoxicity on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seed germination and seedlings growth. Comptes Rendus - Biologies, 334(2), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crvi.2010.12.006
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