Abstract
Given that Cd accumulates within plant tissues to levels that are toxic to animals, it is necessary to understand the role of plants in highly Cd-contaminated systems and their subsequent impact on the health of animals. A solution culture experiment was conducted to elucidate the effects of increasing Cd2+ activity ({Cd2+}) on growth of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth.) and signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf.). The shoot and root fresh mass of both Rhodes grass and signal grass was reduced by 50% at ca. 0.5 µM {Cd2+}. Elevated {Cd2+} resulted in a significant decrease in the tissue Mn concentration for both the shoots and roots, and caused a chlorosis of the veins in the shoots. Root hair growth was prolific even at high {Cd2+}, thus root hair growth appeared to be less sensitive to elevated Cd than was root growth per se. The critical shoot tissue concentrations (50% reduction in growth), 230 µg g−1 for Rhodes grass and 80 µg g−1 for signal grass, exceeded the maximum level of Cd tolerated in the diet of animals (ca. 5 µg g−1). When assessing the risk associated with the revegetation of Cd-contaminated sites with Rhodes grass or signal grass, careful consideration must be given, therefore, to the transfer of toxic concentrations of Cd to grazing animals and through the wider food chain.
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Abbreviations
- EC:
-
electrical conductivity
- ICP-OES:
-
inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy
- SEM:
-
scanning electron microscope
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Acknowledgments
The authors also thank Rosemary Kopittke for statistical assistance and Associate Professor Stephen Adkins for the use of the dissecting microscope. The assistance of the Rick Webb and Kim Sewell at the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (UQ) with the electron microscopy is also acknowledged. This research was funded through CRC-CARE Project 3-3-01-05/6 and through The University of Queensland Early Career Researcher scheme (2008003392).
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Kopittke, P.M., Blamey, F.P.C. & Menzies, N.W. Toxicity of Cd to signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf.) and Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth.). Plant Soil 330, 515–523 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0224-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0224-6