Abstract
The field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) is a sensitive non-accumulator of metals. The main objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of Cd stress in T. arvense using a physiological approach. Four-week-old plants were exposed to increasing concentrations of Cd (0, 10, 50 and 100 μM Cd(NO3)2) for 14 days. Plants were harvested at days 0, 3, 7 and 14 to assess the following parameters: shoot and root length and fresh weight; osmolality and conductivity in leaves; chlorophyll a and b contents and photosynthetic efficiency in leaves (young and expanded); water content, Cd accumulation and nutrient imbalances in leaves (young and expanded) and roots. Thlaspi arvense presented a reduction of 27% in the length of roots exposed to 100 μM Cd, and in plants exposed to 50 and 100 μM Cd, a reduction in the fresh weight of both shoots (53 and 58%, respectively) and roots (58 and 63%, respectively) was observed. In general, in plants exposed to the highest concentrations of Cd, a decrease in leaves osmolality and membrane permeability and in water content of both roots and leaves were observed, as well as several nutrient imbalances. As for the photosynthetic parameters, young and expanded leaves responded differently to Cd stress. Exposed young leaves presented no alterations in photosynthetic efficiency or chlorophyll contents, while expanded leaves of 100 μM Cd-treated plants showed a reduction of up to 67% in chlorophyll contents and a concomitant reduction of 30% in photosynthetic efficiency. Overall, Cd-induced senescence in the non-accumulator plant T. arvense exposed to high concentrations of Cd, which was measured as a decrease in several physiological and biochemical parameters and nutrient imbalances. These Cd-induced alterations resulted in lower plant growth, which might have further implications on plant performance at the population level.
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Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
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Thanks are also due to FCT/MCTES for the financial support to CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020 + UIDB/50017/2020), through national funds. The work of MSM is funded by national funds (OE), through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in the scope of the framework contract foreseen in the numbers 4, 5 and 6 of the article 23, of the Decree-Law 57/2016, of August 29, changed by Law 57/2017, of July 19.
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Monteiro, M.S., Soares, A.M.V.M. Physiological and Biochemical Effects of Cd Stress in Thlaspi Arvense L—A Non-Accumulator of Metals. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 81, 285–292 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-021-00873-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-021-00873-9