Abstract
Despite having the ability to bioaccumulate trace elements such as cadmium (Cd), many species also present morphophysiological disorders that can hamper their use as phytoremediation plants. Since it can lead to alterations in biomass accumulation, the employment of elements that mitigate stress, such as silicon (Si), can diminish the deleterious effects caused by trace elements. The objective of this study was to analyze the anatomical and physiological modulations induced by the synergy between Cd and Si in Alternanthera tenella Colla plants, as well as to elucidate whether Si can mitigate the harmful effects caused by Cd under in vitro conditions. Nodal segments were cultured in MS medium containing a concentration gradient of Cd (0, 50, 100, or 200 μM) combined with two levels of Si (0 or 40 μM) for a total of eight treatments. After 34 days, the plants' anatomy, physiology, and tolerance index were analyzed. The plants presented anatomical adjustments such as lower stomatal index and number of vessel elements, suggesting lower translocation of Cd to the aerial part. When cultured with 200 μM Cd, the plants presented the lowest Chl a/b ratio (5.55). In the presence of Si, the decline of this ratio was smaller (6.66). Plants exposed to Cd concentrations of 50 μM without Si presented a significant decrease in the performance of the photosynthetic apparatus and tolerance index. The presence of Si in the medium reduced the damages caused by cadmium to the plants' physiology, resulting in greater growth and higher tolerance to this element.
Key Message
Alterations in the leaf anatomy played a fundamental role in plants' adjustment to stress Cd-induced. Si can mitigate the deleterious effects of Cd in A. tenella plants.
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Abbreviations
- ABS/RC:
-
Absorption flux per reaction center (RC)
- Chl a :
-
Chlorophyll a
- Chl b :
-
Chlorophyll b
- Chl total :
-
Total chlorophyll
- DI0/RC:
-
Dissipated energy flux per RC
- F0 :
-
Initial fluorescence
- Fm :
-
Maximal fluorescence intensity
- Ft :
-
Fluorescence at time t after start of actinic illumination
- FV/F0 :
-
Ratio of the de-excitation rate constants for photochemical and nonphotochemical events
- PI(ABS) :
-
Performance index based on absorption
- PI(Total) :
-
Total performance index, which measures the performance up until the final electron acceptors of PSI
- RC/ABS:
-
Total number of active reaction center
- VL :
-
Relative variable fluorescence at 0.15 ms (step L)
- VI :
-
Relative variable fluorescence at 30 ms (step I)
- VJ :
-
Relative variable fluorescence at 2 ms (step J)
- VK :
-
Relative variable fluorescence at 0.3 ms (step K)
- WK :
-
Represents the damage to oxygen-evolving complex
- WL :
-
Indicates disturbance in the thylakoid membranes, reducing the energetic connectivity between the PSII units
- φP0 :
-
Maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry (at t = 0)
- φE0 :
-
Quantum yield of electron transport (at t = 0)
- φD0 :
-
Quantum yield of energy dissipation (at t = 0)
- δR0 :
-
Efficiency/probability with which an electron from the intersystem electron carriers moves to reduce end electron acceptors at the PSI acceptor side (RE)
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The authors acknowledge the scholarship granted by CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), and FAPES (Espírito Santo Research Foundation). The authors also acknowledge Luiz Carlos de Almeida Rodrigues for technical assistance in making the figures.
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FPR, SWM, EC, PCSB, and LTC performed experiments. FPR and JPRM wrote the manuscript and performed the statistical analysis. ARF and ABPLG provided the structure and contributed to the design and interpretation of the results. All the authors have read and approved the manuscript.
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Communicated by Mohammad Reza Abdollahi.
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Rossini, F.P., Martins, J.P.R., Moreira, S.W. et al. In vitro morphophysiological responses of Alternanthera tenella colla (Amaranthaceae) to stress induced by cadmium and the attenuating action of silicon. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 150, 223–236 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-022-02263-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-022-02263-y