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NaCl differently interferes with Cd and Zn toxicities in the wetland halophyte species Kosteletzkya virginica (L.) Presl.

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Abstract

Hydroponic experiments were carried out using seedlings of the wetland halophyte species Kosteletzkya virginica (L.) Presl. exposed to 10 μM Cd or 100 μM Zn in the absence or presence of 50 mM NaCl. Interaction between salinity and heavy metals was analysed in relation to plant growth, water status and tissue ion contents (Na, K and Ca). Results showed a strong inhibition effect of Cd on leaf emergence, lateral branch development and leaf expansion. Heavy metals induced a significant decrease in plant dry weight, water content, osmotic potential (Ψ S) and leaf water potential (Ψ w). Cadmium and Zn accumulated to higher extent in the roots than in the shoots. Cadmium increased the leaf K concentration while Zn had an opposite effect. Salinity strongly reduced Cd uptake and translocation from roots to shoots: it mitigated the Cd impact on lateral branch emergence but had no effects on plant dry weight and water status. Cadmium drastically reduced Na translocation in salt-treated plants while Zn increased it. It is concluded that complex interactions exist between heavy metals and monovalent cations in salt conditions and that Cd and Zn display contrasting behaviour in this respect. Stress-induced modification of ion content did not fully explain growth inhibition in Kosteletzkya virginica.

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Abbreviations

DW:

Dry weight

RGR:

Relative growth rate

Ψ s :

Osmotic potential

Ψ w :

Water potential

J :

Net transport rate

IR :

Net intake rate

LN:

Leaf number

LBs:

Lateral branches

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mrs. Brigitte Van Pee (GRPV, UCL) for technical assistance, Mr. Jacque Bar (GRPV, UCL) for valuable help in ion quantification and Dr. Alexis de Lespinay (GRPV, UCL) and Dr. Xiao-Jin Liu (ELIM/MIAE, UCL) for stimulating discussion of many aspects covered. This work was supported by the Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO): Chinese-Belgian Cooperation Project [200441505] and by the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (Crédit aux Chercheurs—Convention no 1.5.11.10F). R.-M. H. is grateful to the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) for the award of a research fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe de Recherche en Physiologie Végétale (GRPV), Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Croix du Sud 5 Bte L 7.07.13, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

    Rui-Ming Han, Isabelle Lefèvre & Stanley Lutts

  2. Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bio-resources Utilisation, State Ethnic Affairs Commission and Ministry of Education, Dalian Nationalities University, Dalian, 116600, China

    Cheng-Jiang Ruan

  3. Halophyte Research Laboratory, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Pei Qin

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  1. Rui-Ming Han
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  2. Isabelle Lefèvre
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  3. Cheng-Jiang Ruan
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  4. Pei Qin
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  5. Stanley Lutts
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Correspondence to Stanley Lutts.

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Han, RM., Lefèvre, I., Ruan, CJ. et al. NaCl differently interferes with Cd and Zn toxicities in the wetland halophyte species Kosteletzkya virginica (L.) Presl.. Plant Growth Regul 68, 97–109 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-012-9697-z

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