Poster: Heavy metals & phytoremediation

Abs # 63: Phytotoxic Effects of Cadmium on the Growth and Development of Brassica rapa

Presenter:	Parr, Sheri , sparr1@mac.com
Authors	Ghosh, Sibdas  (A)   Parr, Sheri  (A)   Frederick, Jessica  (A)   Penterman, Jon  (B)
Affiliations:	(A): Dominican University of California (B): University of California-Berkeley

Cadmium is one of the heavy metals present in the soil at low levels. The natural sources of cadmium include the chemical and physical weathering of rocks and soils, decomposing plant materials, animal detritus, precipitation of atmospheric deposition of airborne particles from volcanic activity, wind erosion, smoke residue from forest fires, plant exudates and ocean spray. We have exposed Brassica rapa to various concentrations of cadmium nitrate as a soil drench on the third day after sowing. Cadmium treated seedlings exhibited the deficiency symptoms of calcium, magnesium and manganese including decreasing levels of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids. In addition, cadmium treated plants displayed the reduction of height and formation of primary leaves, and fresh and dry weights. Furthermore, increased concentration of cadmium caused severe bending of seedlings.