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Effects of lead on the growth, lead accumulation and physiological responses of Pluchea sagittalis

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Abstract

This work aimed to study the process of stress adaptation in root and leaves of different developmental stages (apex, middle and basal regions) of Pluchea sagittalis (Lam.) Cabrera plants grown under exposure to five Pb levels (0, 200, 400, 600 and 1000 μM) for 30 days. Pb concentration and content in roots, stems, and leaves of different developmental stages increased with external Pb level. Consumption of nutrient solution, transpiration ratio, leaf fresh weight, leaf area, and shoot length decreased upon addition of Pb treatments. However, dry weight of shoot parts and roots did not decrease upon addition of Pb treatments. Based on index of tolerance, the roots were much more tolerant to Pb than shoots. δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity was decreased by Pb treatments, whereas carotenoid and chlorophyll concentrations were not affected. Lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide concentration both in roots and leaves increased with increasing Pb levels. Pb treatments increased ascorbate peroxidase activity in all plant parts, while superoxide dismutase activity increased in leaves and did not change in roots. Catalase activity in leaves from the apex shoot was not affected by Pb, but in other plant parts it was increased. Pb toxicity caused increase in non-protein thiol groups concentration in shoot parts, whereas no significant difference was observed in roots. Both root and shoot ascorbic acid concentration increased with increasing Pb level. Therefore, it seems that Pb stress triggered an efficient defense mechanism against oxidative stress in P. sagittalis but its magnitude was depending on the plant organ and of their physiological status. In addition, these results suggest that P. sagittalis is Pb-tolerant. In conclusion, P. sagittalis is able to accumulate on average 6730 and 550 μg Pb g−1 dry weight, respectively, in the roots and shoot, a physiological trait which may be exploited for the phytoremediation of contaminated soils and waters.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação e Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS) for support to this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil

    Liana Veronica Rossato, Denise Cargnelluti, Luciane Almeri Tabaldi, Fabiane Goldschmidt Antes, Valderi Luiz Dressler, Vera Maria Morsch & Maria Rosa Chitolina Schetinger

  2. Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil

    Liana Veronica Rossato, Vera Maria Morsch & Maria Rosa Chitolina Schetinger

  3. Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil

    Fernando Teixeira Nicoloso & Júlia Gomes Farias

  4. Programa de Pós-graduação em Agrobiologia, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil

    Fernando Teixeira Nicoloso & Júlia Gomes Farias

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  1. Liana Veronica Rossato
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Correspondence to Fernando Teixeira Nicoloso or Maria Rosa Chitolina Schetinger.

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Rossato, L.V., Nicoloso, F.T., Farias, J.G. et al. Effects of lead on the growth, lead accumulation and physiological responses of Pluchea sagittalis . Ecotoxicology 21, 111–123 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-011-0771-5

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