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Response of Pteris vittata to different cadmium treatments

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Abstract

Pteris vittata is known as an arsenic hyperaccumulator, but there is little information about its tolerance to cadmium and on its ability to accumulate this heavy metal. Our aim was to analyse the accumulation capacity, oxidative stress and antioxidant response of this fern after cadmium treatments. Cadmium content, main markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant response were detected in leaves of plants grown in hydroponics for both short- (5 days) and long- (15 days) term exposure to 0 (control) 60 and 100 μM CdCl2. In leaves, the concentration of cadmium and oxidative stress were parallel with the increase of cadmium exposure. In the short-term exposure, antioxidant response was sufficient to contrast cadmium phytotoxicity only in 60 μM cadmium-treated plants. In the long-term exposure all treated plants, in spite of the increase in activity of some peroxide-scavenging enzymes, showed a significant increase in oxidative damage. As in the long-term stress markers were comparable in all treated plants, with no clear correlation with hydrogen peroxide content, at least part of cadmium-induced oxidative injury seems not mediated by H2O2. Based on our studies, P. vittata, able to uptake relatively high concentrations of cadmium, is only partially tolerant to this heavy metal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via L. Ghini 13, 56126, Pisa, Italy

    Mirko Balestri, Stefania Bottega & Carmelina Spanò

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  1. Mirko Balestri
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  2. Stefania Bottega
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  3. Carmelina Spanò
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Correspondence to Carmelina Spanò.

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Communicated by J. Kovacik.

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Balestri, M., Bottega, S. & Spanò, C. Response of Pteris vittata to different cadmium treatments. Acta Physiol Plant 36, 767–775 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1454-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1454-z

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